NEW YORK — A man convicted on murder charges in connection with the friendly fire death of NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.

Freeman, of Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, was found guilty last month of murder, robbery, assault and other crimes for his role in the attempted robbery of a T-Mobile store in February 2019.

If Freeman is ultimately released from prison, his sentence will be followed by five years of post-release supervision, Katz said.

A second NYPD officer, Sergeant Matthew Gorman, was also shot in the leg while responding to the robbery, according to authorities.

“The defendant orchestrated a string of robberies, the last of which involved an imitation weapon and led to the tragic loss of Detective Brian Simonsen and the wounding of Sergeant Matthew Gorman,” Katz said. “The jury found the defendant guilty of murder and he will now serve a lengthy time in prison as punishment for his criminal actions. We continue to express our condolences to Detective Simonsen’s family and fellow service members.” 

Police said Freeman acted as the lookout for Christopher Ransom, 30, who admitted in court to flashing a fake gun at officers, prompting them to open fire, which resulted in Simonsen getting fatally shot once in the chest and Gorman injured with a bullet wound to his left leg. 

Ransom, formerly of St. John’s Place in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in October 2021 for aggravated manslaughter in the second degree and robbery in the first degree. He is currently serving 33 years in prison, followed by five years post-release supervision.

The Detectives’ Endowment Association said in a statement published on Twitter, Simonsen, who was a 19-year veteran of the NYPD, was a “beloved cop and DEA Delegate” by the community and they hope that Thursday’s sentence ensures Freeman is “never set free from the prison where he belongs.”