Mayville, New York – A teenager from the northern part of the county has been sentenced to a decade in prison as an adult for a fatal shooting that took place in July 2022 in Sinclairville. The incident resulted in the death of a 19-year-old male from Cassadaga. Andres Lopez, the perpetrator, will also serve five years of post-release supervision as part of the sentence announced by the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office.
Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt initially sought a 20-year prison term for Lopez, who had pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter earlier in the year. The sentencing occurred in Chautauqua County Court on a Friday morning. Lopez was accused of shooting Joseph Misciagno during a fight outside a baseball field where young baseball players and families were present.
Before the case went to trial, Lopez changed his plea to guilty, and it was revealed that he was being sentenced as an adult. The district attorney emphasized that no special deals were made in the case and that justice would be served regardless of the outcome. Law enforcement officials reported that Misciagno was shot during a scuffle and later drove away in a truck, crashing it after being struck by the bullet.
The tragic incident unfolded in Sinclairville, where six individuals, including the victim and the perpetrator, were involved in the altercation that led to the fatal shooting. The sentencing of Lopez marks a closure to the case that has gripped the community since the summer of 2022. The district attorney’s office expressed satisfaction that justice was served in holding the individual accountable for his actions.
The community of Cassadaga mourned the loss of Misciagno, a young life cut short by senseless violence. The sentencing of Lopez served as a reminder of the consequences of such acts and the importance of upholding the law. As the legal proceedings came to a conclusion, the hope is that this tragedy will serve as a lesson for others and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.