HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Maryland man was recently sentenced for his role in a 2016 Franklin County triple homicide.
Kevin Coles, 37, from New York and Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to three consecutive terms of life in prison for his role in the June 25 murders of three people in Mercersburg.
In addition to the consecutive sentences, United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner also sentenced Coles to multiple consecutive terms in prison, amounting to 35 additional years for various firearms convictions.
The evidence established that one of the victims, Wendy Chaney, 39, from Hagerstown was in a relationship with Coles and coconspirator, Torey White, and had assisted both with drug distribution operations.
Coles and co-defendant Devin Dickerson learned that Chaney was cooperating with state and federal drug investigators and contracted for her to be murdered.
Codefendants Jerell Adgebesan and Kenyatta Corbett recruited members of a Baltimore-based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney.
The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property.
Once there, the killers encountered not only Chaney but also Brandon Cole, 47, from Fayetteville, and Phillip Jackson, 36, from Mercersburg.
The gang members reportedly shot the victims in the head and back areas before zip-tying their hands behind their backs and setting them on fire inside the barn.
Chaney and Cole were found dead by police but Jackson was alive when located by State Police. He later died at the hospital.
Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities of Coles, White, Dickerson, Corbett, and others. Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property.
The killers never found any money on the property but stole some drugs and firearms.
Coles was tried by a jury in Harrisburg in April of 2022 and was convicted on all 16 counts of the indictment, including interstate travel to commit murder, murder of a witness and drug trafficking offenses.
The following individuals have pleaded guilty or been sentenced in connection to this case:
• Devin Dickerson, 31, from Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing.
• Kenyatta Corbett, 38, from Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing.
• Michael Buck, 30, from Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing.
• Nicholas Preddy, 29, from Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and is awaiting sentencing.
• Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, 22, from Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing.
• Terrance Lawson, 31, from Baltimore, was sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness.
• Tyrone Armstrong, 30, from Baltimore, was sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness.
• Christopher Johnson, 31, from Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing.
• Mark Johnson, 35, from Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and is awaiting sentencing.
• Llesenia Woodard, 46, from Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing.
• Jerell Adgebesan, age 35, of Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty in June 2022 to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Conner sentenced Adgebesan in February 2023 to life imprisonment and a consecutive 10-year term of imprisonment.
• Torey White, 32, from Waynesboro and Florida, was indicted on multiple counts including the murder of a witness, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, and firearms offenses. His trial is currently scheduled for May 2023.
• Yolanda Diaz, 31, from Hagerstown, was indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial. Her trial is currently scheduled for May 2023.
Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months imprisonment.