Armed robbery suspect faces 4 years in prison

PHILIPSBURG – Darius Edvar Ricardo A. is looking at a possible 4-year stay at the Pointe Blanche prison for his role in an armed robbery at the Gold Star jewelers on August 17 of this year. the court will pronounce its ruling on December 27.

The jeweler spotted the suspect on Front Street, walking around suspiciously wearing a hoodie in spite of the hot weather. When he finally entered the store, he showed a gun and demanded money. He allegedly took off with $2,500 worth of golden earrings and almost $700 in cash.

Police officers who happened to be on the Boardwalk reacted quickly to the report about the robbery. When they saw a man fitting the description given by the robbery-victim, they arrested him.

The 22-year old A. was found in the possession of a blue bag – identical to the one the robber had carried into the store – and wearing a pair of trousers that looked like those worn by the robber too.

In the bag, police officers found a firearm, cash and the earrings that had been robbed from the jeweler.

The defendant told the court that he had found the bag. He also told the court that his left arm is paralyzed and that he cannot use it at all.

The Public Prosecutor said that this circumstance only made the case against him stronger, since video footage shows that the robber did everything exclusively with his right hand.

The defendant also denied that he is the person in pictures that are in the dossier.

The Public Prosecutor told the court that A. is “so busted” due to the decisive action by the police officers. “He matches the description given by the plaintiff, he carried a bag containing a gun, cash and jewelry and he was wearing trousers that look like those of the robber. There is no doubt that this defendant committed the robbery.”

The prosecutor asked the court to acquit A. of possession of a specific firearm, as mentioned in the summons, but asked for a conviction for the possession of “an item fit for threatening people.” Combined with the robbery, this justifies a prison sentence of 4 years, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Zylena Bary was not convinced. “We have to be sure that the right person is convicted, not a convenient suspect,” she said. “The prosecutor cannot place my client in the store and he does not fit the description given by the jeweler. The second man who was arrested does fit that description, but he was released after one day. How can we be sure that he is not the one who committed the robbery? The court cannot exclude the possibility that my client found the bag.”

Bary asked the court to acquit her client or otherwise arrive at a significantly lower sentence, preferably with a large part suspended.