A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday to killing a 17-year-old boy outside a Plymouth apartment complex during a dispute over high-end Balenciaga sneakers.
Augustus M. Sirleaf Jr., of Plymouth, entered a guilty plea for one count of second-degree intentional murder in the killing of 17-year-old Yaseen T. Johnson of Albertville. He was killed one year ago in November 2022. Sirleaf's plea deal calls for a 23-year prison sentence, with a sentencing date set for Jan. 2.
He previously faced two counts of murder.
Sirleaf's guilty plea comes less than a week after co-defendant Hans K. Madave, 20, pleaded guilty as part of an agreement that called for Madave to "testify truthfully against co-defendant" Sirleaf.
According to the criminal complaints, officers arrived at the 9700 block of N. 37th Place and found Johnson wounded inside a Buick SUV.
A male driver told police that he and Johnson came to the parking lot to buy shoes.
He said two men got in the SUV to sell the shoes, and that Sirleaf gave Johnson one of the shoes in exchange for half the money. Sirleaf asked for the shoe back, but Johnson refused and Sirleaf shot him, the driver said.
Officers located one of the Balenciaga brand sneakers just outside the SUV and the other on the front passenger floorboard.
