Two Defendants Arraigned for Involvement in Perrine Street Homicide

Auburn, NY - Acting District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci announced today that JUNNELL COPES, 35, and ADRIAN AGEE, 40, both of the City of Auburn, were arraigned today before the Honorable Thomas G. Leone in Cayuga County Court on sealed indictment charges related to the March 15, 2022 homicide on Perrine Street.

JUNNELL COPES was indicted by a Cayuga County Grand Jury on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, in violation of Penal Law Section 265.03[3], a Class C Armed Violent Felony. The indictment alleges that on March 15, 2022, COPES possessed a loaded and operable .45 caliber pistol while in the area of 45 Perrine Street in the City of Auburn. It is not believed that this firearm was involved in the death of the victim. COPES faces up to a fifteen (15) year determinate prison sentence, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision if convicted.

ADRIAN AGEE was indicted by a Cayuga County Grand Jury on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, in violation of Penal Law Section 265.03[3], a Class C Armed Violent Felony; one count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Penal Law Section 265.01[b-1], a Class E felony; two counts of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, in violation of Penal Law Section 205.65, both Class D Felonies; and one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, in violation of Penal Law Section 215.40[2], a Class E Felony.  The indictment alleges that between March 15 and March 16, 2022 AGEE possessed two, separate 9 mm pistols while in the City of Auburn. The indictment further alleges that AGEE knowing or believing that Shameek COPES engaged in conduct constituting murder in the second degree, rendered criminal assistance to COPES by providing her with transportation from the scene of the homicide and concealed the firearm used to commit the murder by discarding the firearm in a storm sewer. AGEE faces a determinate sentence of up to fifteen (15) years of imprisonment, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision on the count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree; up to an indeterminate term of 2 1/3-7 years of imprisonment on each count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree; and up to 1 1/3-4 years indeterminate on each count of Tampering with Physical Evidence and Possession of a Firearm.

The Court set bail on AGEE in the amount of $25,000 cash/ $50,000 bond, and a partially secured bond option. COPES was remanded without bail. Both men are currently being held at the Cayuga County Jail.

Shameek COPES is being held in South Carolina on the charge of Murder in the Second Degree. She is currently awaiting extradition. The District Attorney’s Office has been working closely with the Auburn Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service to secure her return to New York State.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty