Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced today that Dontie Mitchell, a self-proclaimed anti-gun violence activist and youth mentor who is already serving a 15-year state prison sentence for gun possession, has been found guilty on all 20 counts of the indictment following an eight-day trial.

The verdict was handed down Thursday afternoon in front of the Honorable Roger McDonough, with the jury finding Mitchell, 46, guilty of Predatory Sexual Assault, seven counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, and 10 counts of Unlawful Surveillance in the Second Degree.

Throughout the trial, Assistant District Attorney Ryan Carty called on 17 witnesses, including the three victims, Albany Police officers and detectives, and a clinical psychologist who specializes in sexual assault trauma.

All three victims took the stand and testified that Mitchell, starting in 2021 and lasting until 2023, befriended and pulled them into his youth group under the guise of steering them away from gangs, drugs, and street violence.

Yet they soon found out that Mitchell was dealing drugs and using youths to fund his illegal operations. Soon, he began coercing them into having both oral and anal sex with him.

Carty built a case that detailed how Mitchell manipulated the teens into conducting criminal activity and using sex as a means to control, often threatening violence or harm against them or their families if they didn’t comply.

Carty showed the jury videos and still photos that Albany Police found on two phones belonging to Mitchell, a total of 26 videos that were recordings made by the defendant depicting his sexual acts.

The jury returned a verdict after six hours of deliberations. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 9:30 a.m., when Mitchell could face up to life in prison.