DATE: DECEMBER 13, 2019
FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
RE: PRESS RELEASE – MAURICE
STANSBERRY JR.
MAURICE
STANSBERRY JR. SENTENCED TO PRISON
Following his conviction by his guilty plea in Ulster County
Court on June 27 for Robbery in the 2nd degree, 18-year-old Maurice
Stansberry, Jr., of 27 Washington Avenue in Kingston, was sentenced to five (5)
years in prison, with 5 years of post-release supervision. A protection order
for the family of Mark Lancaster who was killed in the course of the robbery
was issued.
Stansberry Jr. admitted that he and his codefendants planned the
robbery to obtain marijuana and possessed a loaded handgun, which was used
during the commission of the crime.
Maurice Stansberry Sr. shot and killed Mr. Lancaster on Sawkill
Road close to noon time on December 1, 2018 after a gunpoint robbery of
marijuana from Lancaster’s teenage son at Sawkill Trailer Park moments before.
Stansberry Jr. was the driver during the robbery and after the murder of Mark
Lancaster.
Mark Lancaster’s mother, Donna Quiles, spoke to the court about
their loss and the continuing impact and trauma the murder has had on their
family. She highlighted choices and options that Stansberry Jr. could have taken
to avoid the ultimate result of their conduct. She also spoke about the intense
careless and insensitive comments and actions from officials of the Kingston
High School and others, as well as postings on social media by various users,
who only seem to care about this defendant as a star athlete for the school.
She asked the Court to impose the maximum sentence that was agreed to in
exchange for Stansberry Jr.’s cooperation with the prosecution of the case.
Stansberry Jr. testified in the trial which convicted his father
of murder and a host of other serious violent felonies arising from the
robbery.
Stansberry was represented by Kevin Harp who indicated that
Stansberry did not want him to ask for a more lenient sentence. In his brief
statement which was punctuated by questions from Judge Williams, Stansberry
blamed himself and “choices I made .. .
. . . to fit in . . . with my dad.” He apologized to Mark Lancaster’s family.
The case was prosecuted by Sr. Assistant District Attorney
Emmanuel Nneji.
