NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for directing the February 2019 cell phone store robbery that resulted in the death of a New York City police detective and left a second officer wounded.
Jagger Freeman was found guilty of murder in the second degree, multiple counts of robbery in the first and second degree, assault in the second degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree on June 13, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
Freeman's accomplice, Christopher Ransom, 30, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to aggravated manslaughter in the second degree and robbery in the first degree.
According to Court records, on February 12, 2019, Ransom and Freeman arrived at a T-Mobile store located on 120th Street in Richmond Hill, shortly after 6 p.m.
Ransom entered the cell phone store and brandished a black pistol while Ransom ordered two employees to surrender both cash and merchandise from the back room of the store.
Ransom was still inside the store when officers responded to the scene and pointed his gun - which appeared real - at the police officers, who discharged their weapons in response, authorities said.
Detective Brian Simonsen, a 19-year-veteran of the NYPD was fatally shot once in the chest. He was 42 years old.
A second officer, Sergeant Matthew Gorman was seriously injured with a bullet wound to his left leg.
District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant orchestrated a string of robberies, the last of which involved an imitation weapon and led to the tragic loss of Detective Brian Simonsen and the wounding of Sergeant Matthew Gorman. The jury found the defendant guilty of murder and he will now serve a lengthy time in prison as punishment for his criminal actions. We continue to express our condolences to Detective Simonsen’s family and fellow service members.”
Freeman was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison to be followed by 5 years post release supervision.
The sentencing includes the conviction for robbery in the second degree and grand larceny in the third degree related to Freeman’s participation in a separate cell phone store robbery on February 8, 2019.
Ransom is currently serving 33 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ post release supervision.
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