NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Two men have been sentenced to 25 years to life for the murder of a Niagara Falls business owner.
Ahmad "Poppy" Alsaid was shot and killed after an armed robbery at his convenience store, the Bridgeway Market on Niagara Street in Niagara Falls, the night before Thanksgiving in 2018. Poppy ran the store for 60 years.
Johnathan McEnnis and William Coleman were arraigned on two counts of second degree murder, three counts of robbery in the first degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree in May 2019.
Niagara County District Attorney Brian Seaman announced McEnnis and Coleman were sentenced in State Supreme Court Tuesday to 25 years to life for the murder of Alsaid.
In addition, McEnnis and Coleman received consecutive sentences of 25 years for the armed robbery of a 7-Eleven and 25 years for the armed robbery of an off-duty police officer which both occurred the same night as the murder of Alsaid. They also received consecutive 25 year sentences for a separate armed robbery of a Niagara Falls man and an additional 15 years on a weapons charge.
These sentences today send a strong message that my office will aggressively prosecute those who commit violent crimes because victims like Poppy Alsaid deserve justice. I want to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of the Niagara Falls Police Department and the assistance of the Niagara Intelligence and Crime Analysis Center. Their exemplary efforts allowed us to take these two very violent and dangerous individuals off the streets.
