Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Chance Goode was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison after being found guilty of murder in the second degree for the death of a 22-year-old Bronx man in October 2020. The broad daylight shooting in Rufus King Park stemmed from a marijuana deal gone wrong.

District Attorney Katz said: “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. My office will never relinquish our parks and streets to the few individuals who drive the majority of violent crime in this borough. I thank my prosecutors and members of the NYPD for ensuring justice in this case.”

Goode, 22, of Dillon Street in Jamaica, was found guilty on February 10 of murder in the second degree, two counts of attempted robbery in the first degree, attempted robbery in the second degree, conspiracy in the fourth degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree following a four-week jury trial.

Justice Kenneth Holder, who presided at trial, sentenced Goode today 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.

According to the charges and trial testimony, on October 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 potent marijuana for cash.

Two men showed up to meet the group and a verbal dispute took place when it became apparent to the victim that the purported buyers did not have the cash to give him in exchange for the marijuana. Lambert and his friends turned to leave, at which time one of the two men pulled out a gun, demanded the marijuana and fired at Lambert.

The victim was struck in the head and died three days later in a nearby hospital.

The investigation identified “Pimmy Don” on Facebook as defendant Goode, who is the reputed leader of the Never Forget Loyalty street gang. Goode arranged the meeting, ordered two of his subordinate gang members to steal the marijuana and provided them with the 9 mm handgun that was used to kill Lambert.

The illegal firearm was recovered during a court-authorized search of the defendant’s home.

Defendant Torren King, who fired the fatal shots at Lambert, pleaded guilty in 2023 to manslaughter in the first degree and was sentenced to 19 years in prison. The cases against the other co-defendants are pending.

Assistant District Attorneys Charles Dunn of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, and Barry Frankenstein, Deputy Chief of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, prosecuted the case, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Sennett, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.