Sincere Savoy, Member of the Goonies Street Gang, Sentenced

It has been more than five years since all of Westcheter heard the sad news that 13-year old Mount Vernon resident Shamoya McKenzie was shot and killed after being an innocent bystander caught in the middle of a gang shootout. McKenzie had a bright future and wanted to play basketball at UCONN.

On March 15, Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SINCERE SAVOY was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his participation in the 2016 murder of Shamoya McKenzie and the affairs of the Goonies street gang.  In September 2021, co-defendant DAVID HARDY was sentenced to 31 years in prison for the murder of McKenzie and his participation in a 2012 shooting.  In July 2021 and November 2021, co-defendants MARQUIS COLLIER and JERMAINE HUGHLEY, respectively, were each sentenced to 27 years in prison for their participation in the McKenzie murder and the affairs of the Goonies gang.

According to allegations in the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made in public court proceedings: 

Between 2007 and 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, HARDY, COLLIER, HUGHLEY, and SAVOY were members of a racketeering enterprise known as the “Goonies.”  In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Goonies committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder and robbery; they conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute narcotics; and they obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and firing them. 

The Goonies were engaged in a long-standing and violent feud with several rival Mount Vernon street gangs, including, among others, the “Boss Playa Family,” the “Get Money Gangstas,” the “Gunnas,” and the “Much Better Gang”.  On December 31, 2016, HARDY, COLLIER, HUGHLEY and SAVOY attempted to murder a rival gang member in broad daylight by firing multiple shots at him in the vicinity of Tecumseh Avenue and Third Street in Mount Vernon, New York.  The rival gang member suffered gunshot wounds but survived.  One of the bullets, however, missed the intended target and struck the head of 13-year old Shamoya McKenzie, who was in the front passenger seat of a passing car, which was being driven by her mother.  Shamoya McKenzie died as a result.

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HARDY, 27, pled guilty to one count of using a firearm in connection with the murder of Shamoya McKenzie in aid of racketeering and one count of using a firearm in connection with an assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering for committing a separate shooting in 2012 in furtherance of the Goonies.  He was sentenced to 372 months’ in prison.

COLLIER, 30, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of discharging a firearm in connection with the murder of Shamoya McKenzie in aid of racketeering.  He was sentenced to 324 months’ in prison.

HUGHLEY, 28, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of discharging a firearm in connection with the murder of Shamoya McKenzie in aid of racketeering.  He was sentenced to 324 months’ in prison.  

SAVOY, 25, pled guilty to one count of using a firearm in connection with the murder of Shamoya McKenzie in aid of racketeering. He was sentenced to 264 months’ in prison.

Mr. Williams thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for their extraordinary cooperation and assistance with this case, and praised the outstanding investigative work of the Mount Vernon Police Department and the FBI Westchester Safe Streets Task Force which includes Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Westchester County PD, Westchester County DA’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland County DA’s Office, the NYPD and the Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, Greenburgh, New Rochelle, White Plains, Clarkstown and Ramapo Police Departments.

The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Anden Chow is in charge of the prosecution.