By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FOUR young men, including two juveniles, were arraigned in the Freeport Magistrates Court yesterday in connection with a string of stealing incidents and break-ins.
Bernard Marcellas, 26, Damaine Sterling, 19, and two juveniles, ages 16 and 17, appeared before Magistrate Charlton Smith.
Sterling and one of the juveniles were represented by Brian Hanna. Paco Deal, who appeared for Shurland and Co, represented the second juvenile.
On the charge of shopbreaking, it is alleged that between August 2 and August 3, at Freeport, Marcellas and Sterling unlawfully entered First Holiness Church with intent to steal.
The two are also accused of unlawfully entering GB Family Worship Centre and Sinclair’s Bar & Grill between July 29 and July 30 with intent to steal.
Sterling and the two juveniles were charged with shopbreaking. It is alleged that on August 4, at Freeport, the trio unlawfully entered Dollar Deals on Settler’s Way with intent to steal.
The three were also charged with unlawfully entering Caravel Zion Baptist Church on Settler’s Way between August 3 and August 4 with intent to steal.
They were also charged with stealing. It is alleged that the accused men on the same date and place being concerned together stole several items, including a Yamaha keyboard, a mic stand, six microphones, microwave oven, and one 50-inch flat screen TV, together valued $1,940, the property of Caravel Zion Baptist Church.
Sterling and the two juveniles were also charged with breaking into the Freedom International Ministries Church on Gambier Drive between August 2 and August 3.
They were also charged with sacrilege. It is alleged that on the same date and place, they stole two 40-inch flat screen TVs, two guitars, one computer, two amplifiers, a radio, and other items, together valued $2,250, the property of Freedom International Ministries.
Between August 3 and August 4, the accused also broke into the Solid Rock of the Nazarene with intent to steal. They are also charged with sacrilege for this incident. It is alleged that on the same date, the accused stole one laptop computer, a CD player, and headphones, together valued $469, from the church.
Sterling and two juveniles are also accused of stealing. It is alleged on August 4, at Freeport, they stole $54 cash, the property of Garnell Frith.
All of the accused pleaded not guilty to the matters, which were adjourned to November 5 for trial.
Marcellas pleaded guilty to the charge of receiving. It is alleged that between August 2 and August 3, he dishonestly obtained two 40-inch TVs, the property of Freedom International Ministries.
According to the particulars, on Saturday, August 3, at 6.44pm Michael Smith of Freedom International Ministries reported to police that between 9.25pm on July 31 and 4.55pm on Saturday, August 3, someone forced open a northern door and gained entry to the church, stealing two 40-inch TVs, two guitars, one computer, a radio, two amplifiers, and other items.
The prosecutor reported that police conducted investigations and as a result Marcellas was questioned and admitted to the offence.
When Magistrate Smith asked Marcellas if he was arrested before, he said about two or three years ago he was arrested and charged before a judge for similar incidents in which he pleaded guilty for and served time.
He told the judge that he did not know the televisions were stolen. He said that a friend called him about having some televisions he wanted him to sell.
Magistrate Smith sentenced Marcellas to 36 months’ imprisonment at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
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