Swamp admits to role in robbery-turned-murder

Staff

An Akwesasne man jailed for his role in a 2008 murder entered a guilty plea Tuesday in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm used in a crime of violence that lead to death. Kaientanoron Swamp, 29, was among seven men from Akwesasne, Cornwall and Bombay who were arrested in 2008 and 2009 for their roles in the death of Daniel P. Simonds of Stockholm, New York on May 13, 2008.

Swamp’s acquaintance, Brian Latulipe, 29 of Bombay, previously confessed to the murder and admitted to pulling the trigger on Simonds. However, Swamp and the five others remain in custody and face years in prison if convicted for taking part in a plan to rob Simonds of marijuana and money – a plan that turned deadly when Latulipe’s gun went off during the scuffle.

According to previous court details, Alan Jacobs of Akwesasne hired the others to rob Simonds, a previous employee of Jacobs. Swamp, Latulipe, Derek Cook, Bryan Herne, Anson Edwards and Chad Edwards, are accused of taking part in the plan to go to Simonds’ home in two Sport Utility Vehicles and rob him of a large quantity of marijuana that police later found inside the home. All the men fled after the firearm went off, and Simonds’ girlfriend, who was home along with the couple’s children, called for help. Simonds suffered a gunshot wound to the lower back and died seven hours later at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington.

Swamp will be sentenced in federal court on October 8, 2010. He faces up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release following any period of incarceration and up to a $250,000 fine. Latulipe is also awaiting sentencing.