The second man charged in the August 2015 death of Jacquelyn Porreca at a Colonie hair salon pled guilty to one count of hindering the prosecution (first degree) on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 8, as part of a plea deal that dropped three other felony charges—second degree murder, second degree burglary and first degree robbery.
Sean Moreland had been accused of driving the getaway car after his companion, Michael Chmielewski, brutally stabbed Porreca in the neck during an attempted robbery gone awry. The two men were trying to finance their heroin addiction. Chmielewski pled guilty to first degree murder on Tuesday, Sept. 6 and is facing at least 22 years in prison.
Standing beside his lawyer, Paul DerOhannesian, Moreland admitted before state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin that he drove the car with knowledge of Chmielewski’s crime and said that he was on heroin at the time.
“He told you that he just murdered somebody, correct?” asked Breslin.
“Yes,” responded Moreland.
After satisfying himself that Moreland understood all of his options, Breslin accepted the plea of guilty and set the sentencing for Wednesday, Nov. 9, almost a year to the day after the men were arrested following a three month investigation by the Colonie Police Department. Moreland and will both be sentenced on the same day, said Breslin, so that the family of the victim will not have to return to court any more than has already been necessary over the past year. Moreland, who will already be serving 8 years for an unrelated burglary conviction, will be sentenced to between two and six years—to be served concurrently.