Manchester Woman Sentenced For Role In Homicide Aftermath

MANCHESTER, CT — A 34-year-old Manchester woman has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison for not giving up evidence in a federal murder case.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, said that Shamari Smith, also known as "Dakota,” was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 25 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for failing to report to law enforcement information she knew about the murder of a Massachusetts man in December 2020.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on Christmas Eve in 2020, Brandon Batiste and Calvin Roberson, the latter also known as "Cutty," abducted 28-year-old Francisco Roman Jr. at gunpoint from his residence in Chicopee, MA. Batiste and Roberson threatened to harm Roman if he did not comply with their orders and proceeded to handcuff him, according to case records.

The pair then stole cash, marijuana, and other items from Roman, according top case records.

Batiste and Roberson then forced Roman into the rear of Roman’s 2010 Acura ZDX, drove into Connecticut and Batiste shot and killed Roman while the car was en route to Hartford, according to case records. They then drove to the car Shultas Place in Hartford and left it parked on that street, case records show.

Batiste and Roberson then drove a separate car to an apartment that Roberson shared with Smith in Waterbury, and took most of the property stolen during the robbery, including a Gucci hat, earrings, a necklace with an “F” pendant, and a PlayStation 5, into the apartment, according to case records. On Dec. 26, 2020, Smith wore the hat, earrings, and necklace in a video made on Snapchat, Avery said.

The following day, Smith received information that Roman’s family members had seen the Snapchat video, and that the items she wore belonged to Roman, who had been murdered, according tp case records. Instead of notifying law enforcement, Smith disposed of the items by selling them, Avery said.

In an interview with the FBI on Feb. 11, 2021, Smith lied about her knowledge of Roberson's actions and her role in the disposal of the stolen property.

On June 5 of this year, Smith entered a guilty to misprision of felony. Smith, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on Dec. 13.

Batiste and Roberson have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and one count of causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm. They are being detained while awaiting sentencing.