Gooding: Nine years in prison

GOSHEN – Robert Gooding, 52, of Newburgh was sentenced in Orange County Court Friday to nine years in state prison on his guilty plea of criminal possession of a weapon.

Gooding admitted to owning an illegal handgun that was used to shoot and kill 10-year-old Brandon Scandrett, who lived in the same Chambers Street apartment as the young boy’s mother and two other small children.

Having the gun in the apartment is what led to the unfortunate killing, said District Attorney Frank Phillips.

“No homicide charges have been filed in this case; the police have been unable to determine who fired the fatal shot,” he said. “There were two other children in the apartment at the time of the shooting and although one of them may have actually discharged the weapon, there has been no further prosecution.”

Gooding told Judge Jeffrey Berry in court that he owned the illegal gun because he lived in the City of Newburgh and he had it for the protection of his family.