Thread by @innercitypress

OK - #6ix9ine co-defendant Aaron Young sentencing is starting @SDNYLIVE, he faces 20 year in prison (Inner City Press curtain raiser story here: innercitypress.com/sdny37tekashi6…) in run-up to cooperate Tekashi 69's sentencing under 5K1 on December 18 - thread

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmeyer apologizes for starting 20 minutes late, says the elevators in 40 Foley are not working correctly (Young's sentencing was moved to larger courtroom in 500 Pearl, as perhaps #6ix9ine's on Dec 18 will be).

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer says his calculation of Aaron Young's criminal history is 3, but it's immaterial since his sentence is capped at statutory maximum of 240 months or 20 years.

Young's lawyer points about New York State law expunging marijuana convictions.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Assistant US Attorney Longyear starts up: Aaron Young's sentencing should be driven by the drug dealing, points back to #6ix9ine trial testimony of fellow cooperator Kristian Cruz

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL AUSA Longyear: There's also the acts of violence, and threats of violence. In November 2018 there was a shooting outside of a club. "He was able to make it to a nearby gas station... Could have been murder." Cites Mel Murda

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL AUSA Longyear: A guideline sentence is justified, for specific deterrence, and to send a message generally that dealing fentanyl and such brazen acts of violence, you will face a serious sentence.
Judge Engelmayer: The defense cites lower sentences given to others

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL AUSA Longyear: Kifano Jordan, there was several shootings, in Brooklyn, in the street... some of the recording that your Honor heard. Here, Mr. Young shot a guy in the back of the head, I think that is an extenuating circumstances.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: What was the government's motivation in capping the sentence at 20 years, instead of the guideline of 30 to life?
AUSA Longyear: One hopes if he's out of jail at 59 years old he'll be different. Pre-trial disposition saves us resources.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL AUSA Longyear: One would hope he would age out of this behavior by his late 50's.
Young's lawyer: I've been a defense lawyer for 25 years, represented dozens in homocide cases and racketeering cases. Let's put my client's acts in context.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Young's lawyer: My client went through trauma all the way back to in utero, the unfortunate circumstances of his parents. When he would see his mother on the street she would ask for money for drugs.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL ...He also suffers from cognitive difficulties. He was locked in a room for long periods of time as his parents took drugs.
In comparison to [Kifano] Jordan, Young is involved in drugs as well as violence. But Jordan's violence was random

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Young's lawyer: Jordan was involved in won-ton [pronounced like the Chinese soup] acts of violence.

Judge Engelmayer: But this was a case of premeditated murder, he thought he had killed the man [Snow].

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Young's lawyer: I think Cruz manipulated the dominoes for his own benefit here. In no way was Mr Young his financial partner. Which is not to say Mr. Young does not accept responsibility. He has some limitations, my mitigation specialist saw.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Young's lawyer: Jones was the godfather. I recognize he didn't pull a trigger and shoot someone. Jones ran the whole operation. He planned kilos upon kilos of fentanyl distribution - and those shootings.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Young's lawyer: The acts of violence perpetrated by Jordan and planned by Jones was to intimidate other gang members with risk to the community at large. I submit it's on the level with Mr. Young's conduct [shooting Snow in the back of the head]

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Aaron Young: I apologize to my daughter, six year old, I made a bad decision, I would like to put this behind me.
Judge Engelmayer: I'm going to take a few minutes and collect my thoughts. [Thread will continue.]

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer is back: "Mr Young, these are my thoughts. Under Sec 3553a, I am to consider just punishment. Your crime could scarcely be more serious. You shot a man named Snow. You believed you had killed him, telling Cruz you had bodied him

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge: The statute for murder in aid of racketeer provides for life in prison. If Snow had died, you could have been charged with that. Nine Trey was a violent organization. Your attempted murder of Snow had hardly alone. You also sold a prodigious amount of drugs

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge: The pre-sentencing report says you sold at least nine kilos of fentanyl or a fentanyl analog. It is lost to history what happened to the people you sold it to. Cruz pretended it was heroin, which is not as dangerous. I find your crime to be deadly serious

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge: I have to send a message to others to discourage them from committing similar crimes. There is a clear general deterrence interest in getting word out that this punishment is significant [then why shut down live tweeting of previous sentence in this case?]

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: Your age is also relevant. You attempted to murder Snow in your 30s. Others do this as reckless youths. But you were a fully grown man. GIven the vicious nature of your attack on Snow, it follows that while you are in jail you can't hurt others

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: But you accepted responsibility. That was a good thing. And you had a terrible childhood, it is profoundly mitigating. Your parents were long term crack addicts. None of this justifies gang violence at age 37.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge: In your personal life, you are credited as a good father. I credit you for good works... including during Hurricane Sandy. I have considered sentences of Jones and Jordan. With regret, they are not the right comparables.

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: The government was justified in capping your sentence at 20 years. I cannot further reduce that sentence [given] the gravity of your crimes, particularly the near murder. I will now state the sentence I intend to impose...

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: It is the judgment of the court you are to serve a sentence of 240 months...

Then, in Supervised Release, you are to submit your residence and devices to search... Your criminal record is sufficiently long I cannot rule out you will be tempted

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: I am not imposing a fine, I don't believe you have the ability to pay it. But I will impose an assessment of $100. The sentence as stated is imposed; I will dismiss all open counts... Mr Young, I want to wish you the best, I am deeply sympathetic

@sdnylive @MatthewLeeICP @TheCrimeReport @FUNCA_info @XXL @vulture @pitchfork @TIDAL Judge Engelmayer: Thank you, we stand adjourned.

InnerCityPress.com story coming; we will live-tweet #6ix9ine sentencing on December 18, and others. Watch this feed.