Teen sentenced for involvement in murder of victim during robbery in Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood

Submitted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced an 18-year-old male from Buffalo was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to 18 years to life in prison.

The adolescent offender and his co-defendant, Calvin Clemons, conspired to lure the victim to C Street in the City of Buffalo with the intent to commit a robbery. On March 29, 2021, at approximately 8:13 p.m., Clemons shot the victim multiple times during the course of the robbery. After the shooting, the adolescent offender stole the victim’s backpack before both defendants ran from the scene of the crime. The adolescent offender was 16 years old at the time of the homicide.

The victim, 20-year-old Trenten Jacob Sink of Lockport, suffered gunshot wounds to his back, side, chest and right buttock. He was taken by ambulance to ECMC where he died from the injuries.

A jury found the adolescent offender guilty of one count of murder in the second degree (class “A-I” felony) and one count of robbery in the first degree (class “B” violent felony) on Oct. 6, 2022. Jurors rendered their decision after approximately one hour of deliberation following a four-day trial, convicting him of all charges in the indictment against him.

His co-defendant, 20-year-old Calvin D. Clemons of Buffalo, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the first degree (class “A-I” felony), the highest sustainable charge, for his role in the crime. Clemons was sentenced to serve 35 years to life in prison in December 2022.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department homicide squad for its work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eugene T. Partridge III of the homicide unit and Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Marino of the felony trials bureau.