Man pleads guilty as accomplice in 2015 Pottsville homicide

Frank Andruscavage, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 11—POTTSVILLE — A man jailed in connection with an eight-year-old homicide in Pottsville entered a guilty plea Monday for his role in the crime.

Adriell Levor Chambers, 43, appeared before President Judge Jacqueline L. Russell and pleaded guilty to third-degree murder as an accomplice and burglary.

Under the plea agreement, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to a prison term of no less than 10 years for the murder charge and a concurrent sentence of 20 years probation on the charge of burglary.

Russell told Chambers the maximum sentence he could receive is 40 years and a $50,000 fine on the murder charge, and 20 years and a $25,000 fine for burglary.

The judge then ordered a presentence investigation, after which she will order a sentencing hearing.

Russell also told Chambers although she accepted the guilty plea as presented by Public Defender Andrea L. Thompson and Deputy Attorney General Philip McCarthy, she is not bound to adhere to the times suggested for incarceration.

Chambers, who was 35 at the time of the killing, was arrested by Pottsville police Capt. Kirk Becker and charged with one count each of criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit criminal homicide in connection with the death of Dat Huynh at a home at 2272 W. Norwegian St. in the city on March 2, 2015.

Becker charged Chambers, formerly of 135 Sunbury St., Apt./Suite 1, Minersville, on Oct. 6, 2021, after an investigation and presentment by the 45th statewide investigating grand jury on May 17, 2021.

In its findings of fact, the grand jury recommended that homicide and conspiracy charges against Chambers be filed.

The grand jury also recommended the same charges be filed against Phong "Jay" Tran.

Becker said Tran is the former boyfriend of Huynh's paramour, Trang Nguyen, also known as Tina.

Chambers, addressing the court on Monday, said he was scared when he and Tran lured Huynh to the home and chased him down a set of stairs, where Tran shot him.

"I'm sorry that I chose to stay with Jay," Chambers said. "I regret everything I did and didn't do that day."

Chambers was taken into custody on Oct. 6, 2021, and has been jailed in Schuylkill County Prison since.

Tran fled after the killing. He remains on the lam and is being sought by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

At a hearing Jan. 11, Russell asked McCarthy if any progress had been made in locating Tran.

"He has not been apprehended despite all our efforts," McCarthy said at that time.