FARMINGTON – Two men pleaded not guilty in Franklin County Superior Court to a combined 92 charges of burglary, criminal mischief and theft.
Timothy Lagasse, 20, of Farmington, pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of burglary, a Class B felony, 15 counts of criminal mischief, a Class D misdemeanor, and four counts of theft by unauthorized taking, a Class E misdemeanor.
|
|
Shane Sturgeon, 21, of Livermore, pleaded not guilty to 27 counts of burglary, 7 counts of aggravated criminal mischief, a Class C felony, 18 counts of criminal mischief, and five counts of theft by unauthorized taking.
“There are,” Justice Michaela Murphy told Sturgeon, “57 counts of criminal conduct here.”
Sturgeon was also placed in custody when he entered the courtroom, as a warrant for his arrest had been previously issued for a bail violation. Sturgeon admitted to the violation, having failed to report in person to the bail officer twice in November.
|
|
Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson asked to have Sturgeon’s bail revoked and that the defendant seek a new pre-trial contract if he wanted to leave the Franklin County Jail. Murphy agreed, revoking Sturgeon’s bail. However, the $2,000 bail bond will not be forfeited, with the state satisfied that Sturgeon would be back in jail for the time being.
“There are a lot of reasons to put him in custody,” Andrews said.
Police say Sturgeon, Lagasse, and five others were involved in a burglary and vandalism spree which damaged more than 24 seasonal homes and camps in the Porter Lake region.
It is alleged that the individuals inflicted damage, which exceeds $100,000 in value, over the course of two evenings in June 2008. Two dozen camps and homes on both the New Vineyard and Strong sides of Porter Lake suffered extensive damage that included windows and doors smashed out with furniture apparently thrown through the windows to cause the damage. Pieces of furniture left inside the homes and camps were overturned and smashed. Also, items used in the vandalism, such as flashlights, pry bars and axes, were found belonging to the other neighboring camps.
The two arraigned Thursday face a docket call on Feb. 2, 2009.
