Syracuse, NY - Authorities contend Anthony M. Griffin is the leader of a gang known as the “Get Money Franchise.” Gang members, sporting the letters “GMF” tattooed on their hands, are into getting money “legally or illegally,” Assistant District Melinda McGunnigle said. With Griffin, that was through illegal drug trafficking, the prosecutor said. But Griffin is now facing in excess...
Syracuse, NY - Authorities contend Anthony M. Griffin is the leader of a gang known as the “Get Money Franchise.”
Gang members, sporting the letters “GMF” tattooed on their hands, are into getting money “legally or illegally,” Assistant District Melinda McGunnigle said.
With Griffin, that was through illegal drug trafficking, the prosecutor said. But Griffin is now facing in excess of 50 years in state prison after being convicted Wednesday of being the mastermind behind a violent drug-related home invasion during which a woman was sexually assaulted last year.
A County Court jury deliberated several hours Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning before finding Griffin guilty of a battery of charges: first-degree burglary, first- and second-degree robbery, second-degree assault, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree intimidating a victim or witness, endangering the welfare of a child, fourth-degree conspiracy, fourth-degree criminal solicitation, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree menacing, second-degree criminal contempt and making a punishable false written statement.
Griffin, 31, of East Molloy Road, Mattydale, could face consecutive maximum penalties of 25 years in state prison for the burglary and robbery convictions, another 10 years for the drug charges plus some additional time for several of the lesser felony charges, McGunnigle said.
He turned down a pre-trial offer to settle all of the charges with a single 25-year sentence even after the prosecution revealed the evidence at trial would include tape phone calls from the jail and letters sent from Griffin while in jail in which the defendant tried to line up witnesses to lie for him and to get prosecution witnesses not to testify, McGunnigle said.
McGunnigle and Assistant District Attorney Shaun Chase contended Griffin planned and set in motion the incident in which three Syracuse men broke into a Minoa home July 24, 2009. The female resident was sexually assaulted by two of the intruders in front of her 5-year-old daughter during the home invasion.
McGunnigle said Griffin recruited one of the intruders who then recruited his two accomplices to help carry out the break-in and robbery. The defense tried to contend that because Griffin didn’t know two of the home invaders he wasn’t involved in the crime, but the prosecution contended he set up the crime to try and cover up his involvement, McGunnigle said.
The sexual assault of the victim was not part of the original plan, she said.
According to McGunnigle, Griffin knew the victim and had previously resided in that house with her. He had been forced out of the residence after a prior arrest and a court protective order requiring him to stay away from the woman, the prosecutor said.
But Griffin kept trying to get the woman to let him back into the house and prosecutors believe that was because he had left money and drugs in a safe in the residence, McGunnigle said. Griffin had had a police escort to recoup some of his belongings from the house but couldn’t go looking for cash and drugs with that escort, the prosecutor said.
McGunnigle said authorities believe Griffin resorted to the home-invasion plan when he couldn’t talk his way back into the house. According to the prosecutor, the safe in the residence was found open and undamaged after the break-in, indicating the intruders apparently had the combination to get inside to get what Griffin wanted.
Griffin also may have been retaliating against the resident because she had already turned in to police drugs she found in Griffin’s car and boat at the residence, McGunnigle said. That accounted for the drug charges for which Griffin was convicted Wednesday.
The three intruders who carried out the crime already have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
Jayson M. Kelley, 26, of West Genesee Street, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery. He is the “GMF” gang member Griffin recruited to carry out the break-in, McGunnigle said.
Darron Phillips, 25, of Thurgood Terrance was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree burglary and first-degree rape. Justin D. White, 25, of Thurgood Terrace, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree burglary and first-degree criminal sexual act.
They were recruited by Kelley to help carry out the crime for Griffin, she said.
Another “GMF” member, Aimee M. Burton, 19, of East Syracuse, cooperated with the prosecution and is facing no more than 3 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted second-degree burglary.
Griffin’s sentencing is set for Aug. 18.