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Simonsen was killed on Feb. 12, 2019.
By Forum Staff
A Jamaica man has been found guilty for his role in the February 2019 Richmond Hill cell phone shop robbery that resulted in the death of City Police Det. Brian Simonsen, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.
Jagger Freeman, 28, was convicted of murder in the second degree, robbery in the first and second degree, assault in the second degree and grand larceny in the third and fourth degree. A jury rendered its verdict after five days of deliberations. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth C. Holder, who presided at trial, set sentencing for June 30, 2022. At that time, Freeman faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
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He was responding to the robbery of this Richmond Hill cell phone store.
Freeman’s co-defendant, Christopher Ransom, 30, pleaded guilty in October 2021, to aggravated manslaughter in the second degree and robbery in the first degree before Holder. Ransom is currently serving 33 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ post-release supervision.
According to court records, on Feb. 12, 2019, Ransom and Freeman arrived at the T-Mobile store on 120th Street shortly after 6 p.m. Ransom entered the cell phone business brandishing a black pistol. Ransom ordered two employees inside the establishment to surrender both cash and merchandise from the back room of the store. Ransom was still inside the business when police officers responded to the scene. Ransom pointed his gun—which appeared real—at the police officers, who discharged their weapons in response.
Monday’s conviction included robbery in the second degree and grand larceny in the third degree related to Freeman’s participation in a separate cell phone store robbery on Feb. 8, 2019.
Det. Simonsen, a 19-year-veteran of the NYPD was fatally shot once in the torso. He was 42 years old. Sergeant Matthew Gorman was seriously injured with a bullet wound to his left leg.
“The jury has spoken. The defendant’s actions set in motion a terrible chain of events that began with an armed robbery in progress and resulted in the tragic loss of Detective Brian Simonsen as well as Sergeant Matthew Gorman being shot in the leg,” Katz said. “We express our condolences to Detective Simonsen’s family and hope today’s verdict brings them a measure of closure.”
