Federal Jury Convicts Defendants in Greece Triple Murder

        ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal jury found three defendants guilty of committing a triple murder in the town of Greece on March 9th, 2010. Richard Anderson, Andrew Wright and Aston Johnson were convicted of the murders of victims Christopher Green, Robert Moncriffe and Mark Wisdom.

“Today’s verdict brings to a successful conclusion one of the one of the most vicious episodes in recent memory,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “As this case demonstrates, the violence associated with narcotics trafficking can occur anywhere. It also shows the ability of law enforcement to solve crimes and track killers across multiple jurisdictions and regions of the country.  This office will not rest until all other violent criminal organizations are brought to justice.”

Specifically, Anderson, Wright and Johnson were convicted of possessing and discharging firearms and murdering the three victims in furtherance of a marijuana conspiracy. Each defendant faces a maximum of life in prison on each of the three murders. Anderson, Wright and Johnson were also convicted under a separate federal statute of intentionally killing the three victims while engaged in the marijuana conspiracy. They face maximum life in prison on each of those murder charges as well.

The defendants were also convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute at least 1000 kilograms of marijuana. Because of prior drug felony convictions, Richard Anderson and Andrew Wright face mandatory terms of life imprisonment on the conspiracy conviction. Aston Johnson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison on the conspiracy. In addition, the three men were also convicted of possessing three firearms in their drug storage house in Phoenix, Arizona, in furtherance of the marijuana conspiracy. They face a consecutive mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum of life in prison on that conviction.

The federal jury trial lasted 10 weeks. The Government called a total of 65 witnesses to testify and introduced over 530 items of evidence. The trial was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everardo (Andy) Rodriguez and Frank Sherman.

The verdict is the result of an investigation conducted by the Greece Police Department under the direction of Chief Todd Baxter; the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Mark Koss; the Rochester Police Department under the direction of Chief James Sheppard; the U.S. Marshal?s Service under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina; the Monroe County District Attorney?s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; the Monroe County Sheriff?s Department, under the direction Sheriff Patrick O?Flynn; the Monroe County Crime Analysis Center; the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Raymond Williams; the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero; the U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Tom Pocorobba, Jr,; the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking area; the Franklin County, Ohio Sheriff?s Department; the Arizona Department of Public Safety; and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Richard Anderson will be sentenced on March 10, 2014 at 2:30 p.m.; Aston Johnson will be sentenced on March 11, 2014 at 2:15 p.m. and Andrew Wright will be sentenced on March 12, 2014 at 11:00 a.m., all before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa who presided over the trial of the case.