DA: Two Schenectady men sentenced for 2019 murder

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- Two Schenectady men were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the 2019 murder of Roscoe Foster on Monday. Clifford Charles and Leffon Adams were found guilty of murder and attempted robbery of Foster on Jan. 25, 2019.

Charges

• Clifford Charles
  • Two counts of second-degree murder
  • Four counts of first-degree attempted robbery
  • Two counts of criminal possession of a weapon
• Leffon Adams
  • One count of second-degree murder
  • Four counts of first-degree attempted robbery
  • Two counts of criminal possession of a weapon

Foster was a small-scale marijuana dealer, and Charles repeatedly called and texted him the night before Foster was killed, claiming he was looking to purchase marijuana. Foster picked Charles up on the corner of Becker and Elder Street. A struggle broke out, and Charles shot Foster.

Charles received one count of first-degree murder for intentionally killing Foster and another count of first-degree murder for killing him during an attempted robbery. He received two consecutive sentences of 25 years to life for the second-degree murder charge and 15 years with five years of probation for the attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon.

Adams was sentenced to 25 to life for the second-degree murder charge. That sentence will run concurrent to his 15-year sentence for the charges of attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon.

Charles was arrested in August 2022, and Adams was arrested four months later in December. Both men were convicted in May. Court officials said the two were together in the hours leading up to Foster's murder, and Adams gave Charles a loaded revolver just before he left to seek out Foster.