Connecticut Woman Sentenced to Prison for Concealing Knowledge of Massachusetts Man’s Murder

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAMARI SMITH, also known as “Dakota,” 34, of Manchester, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 25 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for failing to report to law enforcement information she knew about the murder of a Massachusetts man in December 2020.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, Brandon Batiste and Calvin Roberson, also known as “Cutty,” kidnapped Francisco Roman, Jr., 28, at gunpoint from a residence in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  Batiste and Roberson threatened to harm Roman if he did not comply with their orders, handcuffed him, and stole cash, marijuana, and other items from Roman.  Batiste and Roberson forced Roman into the rear of Roman’s 2010 Acura ZDX, and transported Roman and the other stolen property to Connecticut.  Batiste shot and killed Roman while the car was en route to Hartford.  They then drove the car to Shultas Place in Hartford and left it parked on the street.

Batiste and Roberson then drove a separate car to an apartment that Roberson shared with Smith in Waterbury, and took most of the property stolen during the robbery, including a Gucci hat, earrings, a necklace with an “F” pendant, and a PlayStation 5, into the apartment.  On December 26, 2020, Smith wore the hat, earrings, and necklace in a video on Snapchat.  The following day, Smith received information that Roman’s family members had seen the Snapchat video, and that the items she wore belonged to Roman, who had been murdered.  Instead of notifying law enforcement, Smith disposed of the items by selling them.  In an interview with the FBI on February 11, 2021, Smith lied about what she knew about Roberson’s actions and her role in the disposal of the stolen property.

On June 5, 2023, Smith pleaded guilty to misprision of felony.  Smith, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 13.

Batiste and Roberson have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and one count of causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm.  They are detained while awaiting sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, FBI’s Springfield Gang Task Force, Massachusetts State Police, Hampden County (Mass.) District Attorney’s Office, Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, Chicopee Police Department and Springfield Police Department, with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts for their assistance in this matter.