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Newark Man Sentenced To Serve Five Months In Prison |
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
By CHRISTOPHER ROY
Express Staff Writer
GUILDHALL — A 23-year-old Newark man was given a two-to-five year sentence on June 11 for causing $88,000 damage to a Brighton home in June 2006. The sentence against Randy Cools was all suspended except five months to serve.
Essex District Judge Robert Bent also ordered Coles to pay his victims,
Edmund and Carol Before, $5,750, the amount their insurance company
didn’t pay. According to Essex County State’s Attorney Vincent Illuzzi,
the insurance company may file a civil suit against Coles.
Edmund Before said in a phone interview Thursday that he doesn’t know
if his insurance premiums will go up, costing him more in the long run.
Court documents state that Coles gave the Alford plea for unlawful
mischief on June 11, 2009. In an Alford plea, the defendant strongly
maintains his innocence, but acknowledges the likelihood that a jury
would convict him based on the evidence, Illuzzi explained.
Court records state Coles briefly worked for the victims.
According to an affidavit, Coles damaged a stone gazebo that was valued at $30,000, a stone lighthouse and granite stairs valued at more than $3,000 and a utility box trailer valued at $10,000, which contained $2,000 worth of tools. A tractor valued at $10,000, that was used to vandalized most of the property was also damaged.
The court consolidated four vandalism charges into one because the judge felt all of the crimes were one act, said Illuzzi. Meanwhile a burglary charge was dismissed.
Coles was originally charged with burglary and four counts of unlawful mischief, all felonies.
According to court records, police used a wire and a tape recorder to monitor a conversation between Coles and another person who said he was with him at the time the vandalism took place. In return for his cooperation in the investigation, the Fish and Wildlife Department agreed not to seize the witness’ truck in an alleged deer jacking case.
Before said Thursday he’s not sure he’s satisfied with the outcome, and that he had to rebuild everything.
“It’s a terrible thing that I don’t wish to happen to anybody,” he said.
Coles is currently lodged at the Northeast Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury, Illuzzi said.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 July 2009 )
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