A teenager in Sinclairville, New York faces a possible 25-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Joseph Misciagno. The defendant, who was a minor at the time of the incident, entered the guilty plea as jury selection was about to begin in Chautauqua County Court, according to Chautauqua County district attorney Jason Schmidt.
Misciagno was killed on July 5, 2022, during a street fight in Sinclairville, where little leaguers and their families were present. The defendant was indicted by a grand jury on the manslaughter charge, and sentencing is scheduled for March 1.
According to Schmidt, no reductions or sentencing promises were made to the defendant in exchange for the guilty plea. He expressed his intention to hold the individual responsible for the crime, crediting the Sheriff’s Office for their investigation and evidence collection.
Law enforcement reported that Misciagno died after being shot in the lower back during a scuffle. The Sheriff stated that the victim was among six people in the area when he was struck with a single gunshot in the back before driving for about a quarter-mile and crashing into trees.
The sentencing is set to take place in the Chautauqua County Court, with the defendant facing the potential of 25 years in prison for the shooting that resulted in the death of Joseph Misciagno.