A Pittsburgh teenager was ordered to serve up to four years in prison for his role in a fatal shooting two summers ago in front of a New Kensington high rise apartment building.

Avian Molter, who turned 17 on April 16, told a Westmoreland County judge he’s turned his life around since he was jailed in the days following the July 3, 2022, shooting of 36-year-old Jason Raiford. Molter described the two years he served in the youthful offenders pod at the Allegheny County Jail as “transformational.”

“I refuse to be defined by mistakes I made at age 15,” Molter said.

Jamie Grimes, Molter’s teacher at the jail, testified he held a 3.6 grade point average and described him as a respectful teen who had evolved into a respected leader among the incarcerated juveniles.

“He’s a bright individual. I have a lot of respect for him and only good things to say about him,” Grimes testified.

Molter pleaded guilty in February to a felony conspiracy count and one weapons offense after prosecutors dismissed criminal homicide, aggravated assault, robbery and other related offenses. Police said Molter was among a group of seven young adults and teens who gathered to confront Raiford at the Valley Royal Court Apartments over an alleged drug debt.

Authorities said Molter gave an assault rifle to another teen, then 14-year-old Amir Kennedy, who shot Raiford 11 times as he left the building’s lobby. Police said Molter was arrested days after the shooting after a high speed chase in Jeannette.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani said Molter’s role in the fatal shooting and the circumstances of his arrest warranted a sentence that went beyond standard guidelines. The judge ordered Molter to serve two to four years in prison and five additional years on probation.

“It appears Mr. Molter has turned his life around while at the Allegheny County Jail. I recognize you have tremendous potential but you were the individual who provided the AR weapon that ended up being the murder weapon. Anything less than a state sentence undermines the serious nature of your involvement in this case,” Feliciani said.

Molter was the fifth person convicted and sentenced in connection with Raiford’s killing.

Following a trial late last year, a Westmoreland County jury convicted Kennedy of first-degree murder and other offenses. The same jury acquitted co-defendants Elijah Gary and DaMontae Brooks of homicide charges, but found them guilty of robbery and conspiracy counts.

Kennedy, 16, was sentenced to serve 30 to 60 years in prison. Gary, 20, received a 10- to 20-year prison sentence and Brooks, 16, was ordered to serve 8 to 16 years behind bars.

Braedon Dickinson, 16, of Connellsville was convicted in juvenile court of third-degree murder and was transferred to Fayette County for a sentencing hearing.

Two other men, Jonathan Felder, 19, of Arnold, and Raquan Carpenter, 20, of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty in February to lesser charges and are awaiting sentencing.

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