Anais Soto sentenced
to eight years
in Robinson murder case
By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
COOPERSTOWN – Anais Soto of Oneonta, one of the accomplices in the 2019 murder of Kenneth Robinson during a botched robbery, was sentenced Friday, July 2, to eight years in prison and four years probation after pleading guilty to burglary in the first degree Friday, July 2, in Otsego County Court.
Soto, 17, was visibly shaken during the proceedings, crying at points. Judge John Lambert had to remind her several times to speak up.
District Attorney John Muehl read a statement from Kenneth Robinson’s mother, Sharon Sawyer, in which she called for the highest possible sentence allowed by law.
“The two grandchildren that were there that night will never forget what they saw, heard and went through,” the statement read. “One has nightmares a lot. The other one is afraid that the bad guys will come back and get him just like the bad guys said they would that night. Pretty much a life sentence for the kids.”
While acknowledging what Soto did, Muehl and Lambert recognized Soto had a redeeming act, taking the children outside away from the murder of their father by a group that included their older brother, and seemingly being the only person in the group of would-be robbers that cared what happened to the children.
“I wish Miss Soto the best in the future, and I hope while incarcerated, she takes advantage of any programs available to her,” Muehl said.
Lambert echoed these sentiments.
“I believe time has changed you,” Lambert said. He also said that he believes Soto, is “very sorry that Ken Robinson died that night.”
“There is hope for you,” Lambert said.
Dylan Robinson, who was 15 at the time of the crimes, was found guilty of murder in the second degree of his father Kenneth Robinson in a jury verdict issued Wednesday, June 23.
Most of the other cases involving accomplishes have been handled by the courts:
Nicolas Meridy, 32 at the time of the murder, of Oneonta pleaded guilty to second degree murder in August and was sentenced to 22 years to life in state prison in October. The other charged were dropped in exchange for his plea.
Alexander Borggreen, then 16, was sentenced Friday, April, 16, to an indeterminate sentence of up to 12 years in state prison for first-degree burglary, a violent Class B felony that precluded him from being eligible for youthful offender status.
Borggreen and Soto had murder, robbery and arson charges dropped in exchange for their pleas. Borggreen, Meridy and Soto all agreed to testify against Robinson, if needed, as part of their pleas, but Meridy was not called to the stand and Borggreen refused to testify against Robinson, only nodding yes or no once on the stand. Muehl said he is still deciding whether to rescind the plea agreement.
Alexis Lotterman of Walton, then 16, and Tatiana Febo, then 17, had their cases moved to family court, where they will be allowed juvenile offender status for lesser crimes. Because those cases are sealed, it is not clear if those cases have been adjudicated, yet.
