6 days ago
Johnson sentenced to 25 years to life for murder
PLATTSBURGH — Chazz Johnson has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of a Plattsburgh man last year.
Johnson, 25, was handed down the sentence in Clinton County Court on Monday for shooting and killing Marcus Dixon, 31, in the early morning hours on Sept. 3, 2024, Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie announced.
The murder occurred following an altercation in downtown Plattsburgh between Dixon and Erica Colon, Johnson's co-defendant and girlfriend. The district attorney's office said that after the altercation, Colon and Johnson tracked down Dixon, who was walking near his residence, and Johnson shot Dixon three times at close range. Johnson and Colon then fled the area in Colon's car.
Johnson was transported to the University of Vermont Healthcare Network at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The shooting happened near 137 Cornelia St. in the city of Plattsburgh.
In April, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of second degree murder, one count of second degree conspiracy and two counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon for his role in the shooting.
Colon pleaded guilty to second degree conspiracy in April as well. She was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in prison on July 10.
At Johnson's sentencing Monday, the district attorney's office said Dixon's sister addressed the court and described how his death has left their family 'shattered.'
She also described how, despite a difficult upbringing, Dixon had managed to become the first in their family to graduate from high school and college and his dreams of one day working in law enforcement.
District Attorney Wylie and Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey C. Kehm prosecuted the case.
The District Attorney's Office sought the maximum sentence under the agreement, and Kehm stressed the trivial nature of the events leading to the murder and argued that Johnson had no remorse for his actions and was a threat to the community.
In addition to the 25 years to life sentence, Johnson, who was represented by Tucker Stancliff, was assessed a $300 surcharge, a $25 crime victim assistance fee and must provide a DNA sample and a $50 DNA databank fee.
