Feb. 3—LOCKPORT — The final defendant in a violent Town of Niagara home invasion and shooting has been sentenced to 12 to 14 years behind bars.

The sentence was handed down Friday by Niagara County Court Judge Caroline Wojtaszek to Cornelius Redden III, of the Falls. Redden, 28, had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree burglary in connection with the home invasion incident and to a charge of attempted second-degree assault in connection with an unrelated incident while he was in custody at the Niagara County jail.

Redden, along with Charles Richardson, 24, and Kalique Miller, 19, both of the Falls, were indicted by a Niagara County grand jury on counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, first- and second-degree burglary, and three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with a home invasion-style burglary at two units in the Royal Park Apartments in the 8500 block of Porter Road in the Town of Niagara in January 2023. The incident led to a three-hour lockdown of the apartment complex and a nearby neighborhood.

He was originally charged with first-degree promoting prison contraband and second-degree harassment after Niagara County Sheriff’s Office corrections officers said they found him in possession of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl inside the jail. After the discovery of the drugs, Redden reportedly fought with correctional officers and punched one officer during the fight.

Wojtaszek sentenced Redden to 10 years in prison on his burglary conviction and 2 to 4 years behind bars for assaulting the corrections officer. The sentences will run consecutively.

The judge previously sentenced Richardson to a 4-year prison term and 5 years of post-release supervision after he pleaded guilty to a single count of second-degree burglary tied to the home invasion.

Miller pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of attempted aggravated assault on a police officer and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the home invasion incident. The Falls teen admitted to shooting at Town of Niagara Police Officer James Bissell during the course of attempting to flee from the Porter Road apartment complex.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after admitting that he shot a 22-year-old Falls woman, multiple times, in November 2022. Miller will face a potential prison term of 35 years behind bars when he is sentenced by Wojtaszek.

His defense attorney indicated that he would like Wojtaszek to sentence Miller as a youthful offender.

“This defendant shot and nearly killed a young lady, then in a separate incident, fired at police,” Niagara County District Attorney Brian Seaman said. “We will be asking the judge to impose the full 35 years for the safety of the community and because these crimes deserve it.”

Town of Niagara police said they responded to a burglary-in-progress call at 5:12 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2023, at the Royal Park Apartments. As Bissell approached the rear of the apartment building, he said he saw a male suspect climbing out of an upper apartment window.

Bissell said the suspect climbed back into the apartment and fired three shots at him from a “firearm” that had been pointed out of the window. Richardson was initially identified as the suspect who fired the shots but prosecutors said DNA testing later determined that Miller was the shooter.

The Town of Niagara officer, who was not hit by the gunfire, said he “retreated and went back to the front of the building,” where he and a police lieutenant “took cover.”

Town of Niagara Police Chief Craig Guillani said Bissell then confronted three males as they came out of the front door of the apartment complex. The three were identified as Richardson, Redden and Miller.

All three suspects were taken into custody without further incident.

Falls police said at the time of the Town of Niagara incident that they had been searching for Miller regarding his possible involvement in a midday shooting on Nov. 10, 2022, in the 2700 block of Falls Street. The first officers to arrive on that scene reported that they had found a woman inside a home suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to her lower body.

The 21-year-old victim was treated at the scene by Falls firefighters and EMTs before being transported to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo.

Witnesses said two suspects were seen running from the rear of the house, immediately after the shooting. A Falls officer, responding to the initial shooting call, spotted a male who matched the description of one of the suspected shooters getting into a Honda CRV and driving away from the scene.

Patrol officers chased the Honda from the scene, but found it empty and abandoned near train tracks on 21st Street. Additional officers then reported seeing the suspects entering a black van and driving away.

Police located the van behind 2159 Seneca Ave. No one was inside the vehicle.