Three women sentenced in motel robbery

By Derek Liebig

Three women who pleaded guilty to their role in a robbery that fueled a shooting last year, were sentenced late last month in Washington County Court.

Nichole L. “Crazy Nikki” Lussier, 33, of Whitehall, was sentenced to 3 years in state prison and 2 years on parole for selling cocaine to a police informant during an investigation after the shooting. She had earlier pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.

Police believe she played a role in planning the robbery that led to the shooting, but feel asleep and did not go to the Hampton Motel, where two women were robbed of drugs, electronics and money on April 11.

The women who were robbed were members of a group of rival drug dealers and were selling cocaine and heroin from the motel. In retaliation for the robbery, two men—Francisco Gonzalez, 23, and Jose Febus, 40, both of Connecticut—went to the Whitehall Mobile Home Park and fired at least 10 shots from two rifles into a home where they believed the perpetrators of the robbery to be. That trailer was being rented to Lussier.

Angela Lawrence, 34, of Pittsford, Vt., who was acquainted with Lussier and went with four New York City men to the motel, was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for her guilty plea to third-degree robbery.

Lussier’s sister, Jessica L. Lussier, 34, of Whitehall, was sentenced to 5 years on probation and participation in Washington County’s felony drug treatment court. She was not sentenced to prison because she stayed in the car during the robbery and did not have a prior criminal record.

James L. Bear, 41, of Brooklyn, and one of four New York City men involved in the robbery was sentenced last month to seven years in state prison and five years on parole after pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery.

Tyshen “Nitty” Matthews, 21, was convicted last month of robbery and other charges and was scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 3. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

Police are still searching for two other men, Jermaine Thompson and an unidentified suspect, who are believed to have taken park in the robbery.

Febus and Gonzalez received prison sentences last year for their role in the shooting.