Syracuse, N.Y. ― A Syracuse anti-violence worker was sentenced to prison Tuesday for selling drugs near the community center where he mentored kids.

Cassieum Pitts, 28, previously pleaded guilty to 22 counts, including second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and official misconduct.

Judge Matthew Doran offered Pitts a lesser sentence than prosecutors were seeking but he was required to plead guilty to the entire indictment.

Doran said he was swayed by the outpouring of support from the community on Pitts’ behalf.

“A lot of people went to bat for you,” Doran told Pitts.

The judge sentenced him to nine years in prison.

Pitts and Ahmed Abdi admitted to selling drugs while working as employees of Syracuse Cure Violence (also known as SNUG) on multiple occasions.

They sold

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