A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally shooting another man four years ago at a house party in Amityville.
On July 18, 2021, at approximately 2:50 a.m., Paulin Cerisier drove to Amityville and entered a backyard party. Cerisier then approached the victim — Maresse Dickerson-Stevenson, 41, his ex-girlfriend’s uncle — and, without provocation, shot him in the left shoulder before fleeing the scene. The victim was pronounced dead a short time later.
On June 11, 2025, Cerisier, 29, was found guilty before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei on one count of second-degree murder, a Class A felony, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both Class C felonies. He was sentenced on August 14, 2025 to 25 years to life in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
“While today’s sentence does not bring back Maresse Dickerson-Stevenson, it does ensure that there was justice for the victim and his family,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Far too often, lives are being lost or permanently altered due to violence. I will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue strong and fair prosecutions against those who endanger our communities.”