Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that two Pemberton Township men have been indicted in connection with the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Willingboro Township resident outside of his home last year.
A grand jury charged Sylas Young, 20, with Murder (First Degree), Conspiracy to Commit Murder (First Degree), Gang Criminality (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree). Kavon Carter, 24, was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Gang Criminality and Promoting Organized Street Crime, all first-degree offenses.
The indictment was returned today and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be held soon in Superior Court and the case will then be scheduled for trial. The defendants, who are being held in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly, will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Hutchinson.
The investigation began after officers from the Willingboro Township Police Department were called to the first block of Barrington Lane just before 11:30 p.m. on April 22 for a report of shots fired.
Upon arrival, they discovered the body of Yahsinn Robinson, who was a senior at Willingboro High School. He had been struck by gunfire multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation revealed that Carter and Young, and their associates from Pemberton Township, had been involved in a long-running dispute with certain residents of the Buckingham Park section of Willingboro. The investigation determined that this shooting stemmed from an escalation of that friction. Robinson, who was returning home from his part-time job when killed, was not involved in the conflict.
The investigation was conducted by the Willingboro Township Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The lead investigators were WTPD Sgt. Brandon Smith and BCPO Detective Sean Tait.
All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law