Jury indicts 6 in robbery that led to shooting

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A Washington County grand jury has indicted six people in connection with a robbery that fueled a shooting at a local trailer park in April.

Three men from New York City, two women from Whitehall, and a woman from Vermont, were all charged in connection with the robbery, which occurred about four hours before the April 12 shooting.

Tyshen “Nitty” Matthews, 41, of Queens, James L. “Bear” Neal, 41, of Brooklyn, and Jermaine “Nino” Thompson of Brooklyn were indicted on felony counts of robbery, burglary, conspiracy and misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a child and petit larceny.

Angela Lawrence, 34, of Pittsford, Vt., and Jessica Lussier, 34, of Whitehall, were charged with felony counts of robbery and conspiracy, as well as petit larceny, a misdemeanor.

Nicole “Crazy Nikki” Lussier, 33, of Whitehall, was charged with felony conspiracy.

The robbery and the ensuing violence at the Whitehall Mobile Home Park are believed to have been part of a turf war between two rival groups dealing drugs between Whitehall and Rutland, Vt.

According to court records, Neal told state police that that the robbery was the idea of the Lussier sisters.

He told police that the “oldest white female who lived at the trailer park” knew there were Hispanic drug dealers at a hotel (Hampton Motel) who had money and drugs.

The group, minus Nicole Lussier, who fell asleep and did not go to the motel, went to the motel with a pellet gun and forced their way into the room.

Inside the room were two women and two children who had ties to a Connecticut-based drug gang. The suspects are alleged to have to have stolen drugs, money and several electronic devices.

Approximately four hours later, relatives of those women traveled to Whitehall from Connecticut, and fired ten shots into a mobile home where the Lussiers lived.

A number of the shots passed traveled through the trailer and into another home. No one was hurt in the violence, but a number of people, including a young child, were present in the second home.

The suspects in the shooting, Francisco Gonzalez, 23, and Jose Febus, 41, both of Hartford, Conn., are being held in Washington County Jail on charges of attempted murder, conspiracy, reckless endangerment, criminal use of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

Robert Wescott, 19, of Whitehall, was charged with conspiracy and criminal facilitation. Police allege he drove to Connecticut and brought the shooting suspects to Whitehall.

All three men have pleaded not guilty.

Febus’ daughter, Brendaliz Febus, 21, was one of the women who was robbed. She has been charged with felony drug possession.

Neal and Matthews were not in the mobile home at the time of the shooting and court records show that they left town shortly after the robbery.

They were arrested last month and are being held in Washington County Jail.

The Warren County District Attorney is working on the robbery case because the Lussiers are considered the victims in the shooting case.

All the suspects are being held in Washington County Jail.