He could get life in prison at sentencing.
Harrisburg, Md. (KM) – A Maryland man has pleaded guilty in Pennsylvania for his part in the murders of three individuals in Franklin County nearly six years ago. The US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania says Jerrell Adgebesan, 34, of Baltimore and Hagerstown, entered his plea on Monday.
No sentencing date was announced, but the maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, followed by a term of supervised release and a fine.
According to his plea agreement, Adgebesan and another defendant, Kenyatta Corbett, arranged for members of the gang, the Black Guerrilla Family, and others from Baltimore to come a property along Welsh Run Road in Franklin County to kill Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, of Hagerstown. She was part of a drug dealing operation, but was cooperating with federal authorities.
Chaney along with Brandon Cole, 47, of Fayetteville, Pa., and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, of Mercersburg, Pa., were found murdered on Jackson’s property on June 25th, 2016. Pennsylvania State Police say the three victims had their hands zip tied behind their backs., and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot once in the head and once in the back.
The US Attorney’s; Office for the Middles District of Pennsylvania says Adgebesan, along other individual’s, were charged in connection to the investigation:
Kevin Coles, age 36, of New York, NY and Hagerstown, Maryland, was found guilty after a guilty trial in April of multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking, and is awaiting sentencing;
- Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing;
- Kenyatta Corbett, age 38, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and is awaiting sentencing;
- Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
- Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
- Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing
- Mark Johnson, age 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and is awaiting sentencing;
- Llesenia Woodard, age 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing.
- Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment.
Torey White’s trial is scheduled for January 2023.
Federal officials say this case was part of district wide initiative to combat the national epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. The US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s Heroin Initiative goes after heroin traffickers and part of an effort by federal, state and local law enforcement to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who commit heron related offenses.
By Kevin McManus