Gloversville man found guilty of manslaughter

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Dutchess County jury found 39-year-old Jan Deere of Gloversville guilty of causing the death of Jaquan Fryar in Poughkeepsie last year, the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday. Deere was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and two counts second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Deere was found guilty of pointing a loaded gun at Fryer and firing a shot toward him near 446 Main Street in Poughkeepsie around 4:23 a.m. on March 30, 2024. The bullet struck Fryer in the head and he later died at a nearby hospital.

"After a previous jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision, we remained steadfast in our pursuit of justice," Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi stated. "Today’s conviction is the result of our unwavering commitment to holding violent offenders accountable. Gun violence continues to plague our community, and we will not back down. This verdict stands as a powerful reminder that we will keep fighting for victims."

Deere, who's scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, faces up to 25 years in state prison for the manslaughter charge and up to 15 years for each weapon charge. The investigation was led by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and the case's prosecution was handled by Unit Chiefs Anthony DeFazio and Andrea Long.