A Southeast Queens gang leader was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison on Monday after he was found guilty of murder in the second degree and other related crimes for the fatal shooting of a Bronx man in broad daylight in October 2020 at an area of Jamaica’s Rufus King Park, often frequented by children with their families, teenagers, and seniors.
Chance Goode, 22, of Dillon Street in Jamaica, the reputed head of the Never Forget Loyalty street gang, organized the brazen attempted robbery of a marijuana dealer that turned into a cold-blooded homicide.
According to trial testimony and the charges, on Oct. 15, 2020, at approximately 4:30 p.m., 22-year-old Numani Lambert arrived at Rufus King Park with two friends after they arranged on Facebook with someone using the name “Pimmy Don” to sell two ounces of marijuana for cash. One of Lambert’s friends messaged “Pimmy Don,” who responded that he was sending “his boys” to the park to buy marijuana. Two men showed up to meet the group.
There was a verbal dispute, and when it became apparent to the victim that the purported buyers did not have the cash to give him in exchange for the marijuana, he and his friends turned to leave. One of the men pulled out a gun, demanded the marijuana, and fired two shots at Lambert, striking him once in the head. EMS responded to the crime scene and rushed Lambert to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead three days later.
The investigation identified “Pimmy Don” on Facebook as the defendant Goode, who arranged the meeting with the victim and ordered two of his subordinate gang members to steal the marijuana and provided them with a 9 mm handgun that was used to kill Lambert.
The illegal firearm was recovered during a court-authorized search of Goode’s Jamaica home.
Defendant Torren King of Far Rockaway, who fired the fatal shots at Lambert, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree and was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2023. The cases against the two remaining co-defendants are pending. In addition to murder in the second degree, Goode was also found guilty of attempted robbery, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a weapon during a four-week trial in Queens Supreme Court. The jury deliberated for one day before reaching a guilty verdict.
“The defendant, a notorious gang leader, has now been held to full account for the attempted robbery-turned-murder he orchestrated inside Rufus King Park in 2020,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
Justice Kenneth Holder, who presided at trial, sentenced Goode to 23 years to life on the murder conviction and a consecutive five years of incarceration with five years post-release supervision on the criminal possession of a weapon conviction for a total of 28 years to life. The remaining sentences will be served concurrent to the murder conviction.
“My office will never relinquish our parks and streets to a few individuals who drive the majority of violent crime in this borough,” Katz said. “I thank my prosecutors and members of the NYPD for ensuring justice in this case.”
