SCRANTON — A gang member who pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in the shooting death of another man at Weston Field in April of 2024 was sentenced to 20 to 40 years behind bars Tuesday.
Kenneth Tapia, 18, of 1020 North Main Ave., pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm in February. He shot Robert Dawson, 32, multiple times in the upper torso with a 9mm handgun after a group of juveniles beat him at the Weston Field basketball court April 9.
Before Judge Margaret Moyle imposed sentenced, she heard from the families of both Tapia and Dawson, law enforcement officials and then Tapia himself.
After reviewing the case and hearing from witnesses and family members, Moyle said it was difficult for her to reconcile two versions of Tapia.
Because he was a juvenile at the time of his incarceration, she met with him periodically to review his educational, social and other needs.
Moyle remembered him as a respectful, thoughtful person, who spoke to her about experiencing anxiety.
But, Moyle also watched a recorded video of Tapia speaking on a video call with a friend, saying he wanted to get a tattoo of a tear, a symbol he had killed someone and a badge of honor among gang members.
Nicholas Dranchak, sergeant at Lackawanna County Prison, also presented a video of Tapia attacking another inmate less than a month ago, an infraction for which he was written up for misconduct.
Moyle said, although Tapia would be serving a lengthy sentence, it was still possible he would have the opportunity to come home and reintegrate himself into society as a father and family member.
She pointed out belonging to a gang provided him no benefit, but instead led to his lengthy incarceration. Moyle said many gang members who came before her didn’t have families or other resources for support.
“That isn’t you,” she said, pointing to his family members who filled several rows of one side of the courtroom.
In addition, Tapia had attended school and even gone to church services during his incarceration, she said.
She told him he had a choice as to whether to continue to live a gang-related life or to make a positive change, even while still behind bars.
Devastation and sorrow
During her statement to the court, Sade Spears who was Robert Dawson’s partner, said his death had devasted the family.
The couple’s daughter, who’s turning 2, often asks when her father is coming home. Dawson would never attend his children’s special events or get to see them achieve their dreams, Spears said.
Spears said she was doing all she could as a single parent, but found it really hard doing the job of both parents, while facing her own grief.
“Was it worth it?” she asked Tapia.
Eric Dawson, Robert Dawson’s twin brother, wrote a letter read aloud to the court, saying his shared bond with his brother had been broken.
“I lost the person who knew me the best,” he said.
In his own words
Moyle pointed out that not only did Tapia have a right to speak, he had the right to speak last and to have the final word.
Tapia first pointed out he had only one report of misconduct the entire time he had been incarcerated. He went on to say he had been at Weston Field only to play basketball when a fight broke out.
He began running away, but got into a fist fight with Dawson. His gun fell from his waistband and Dawson went for it, he said. He shot Dawson to protect himself he told the judge.
But, Tapia’s demeaner then changed as he remembered seeing the pain in the eyes of one of Dawson’s family members at a previous proceeding.
He knew the pain of loss and was very sorry, he said.
He hadn’t meant to kill anyone, he said.
“You brought a gun to a fist fight,” Moyle said.
Tapia went on to speak of his mother and how sad he is to have caused her pain and of his son who was born while he was incarcerated.
Other charges
Moyle also sentenced Tapia to three to 24 months in jail on a gun charge, to run consecutively with the other sentence. The sentences, she said, were within the range of the state’s sentencing guidelines.
Keenan Ford, 18, also was charged in the case. On Feb. 27, he pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution and obstructing justice. According to court records, Ford has not yet been sentenced.
Blanca Mormolejo, 51, also was charged in the case after police say she interfered with law enforcement officers’ attempts to apprehend Tapia following the shooting. On April 7, she pleaded guilty to making a false report to police officers and was sentence to two years probation.
Others participating in the brawl leading to Dawson’s death, were charged as juveniles.