March 2008

3/5/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. SAMMIE LEE HOWELL

Today, Sammie Lee Howell, 38-years-old, pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to 1 count of Indecent Liberties Custodial. The judge then sentenced Howell to 5 years in prison with 4 years 5 months suspended, resulting in 7 months of time to serve for the conviction. He served that time while waiting for the case to be resolved. He will be on probation for 5 years. He must register as a sex offender with the Virginia State Police. Howell was charged after Norfolk Police Detectives investigated reports of sexual activity between him and an 8-year-old girl which occurred on various dates in 2005 and 2006.

3/5/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. ROBERT MATTHEW HEFFLEY, JR.

Today, Robert Matthew Heffley, Jr., 23-years-old, waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Norfolk General District Court. The judge then certified 4 felony charges against Heffley to Norfolk Circuit Court. Heffley is charged with 1 count of Grand Larceny Motor Vehicle, 1 count of Obtaining Money by False Pretenses, and 2 counts of Worthless Check. Heffley was charged after checks from a bank account which contained no money were used to purchase dogs and cats from various people who had advertised the animals for sale in newspapers. The animals were then sold at truck stops in various states. The next hearing in this case is scheduled for March 19, 2008, when the Grand Jury meets.

3/6/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. BANDELA JA KEI SIMMONS

Today, a judge in Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court held a certification hearing for Bandela Ja Kei Simmons, 14-years-old. The judge certified 2 felony charges against Simmons to Norfolk Circuit Court, allowing prosecutors to try Simmons as an adult. Simmons is charged with 1 count of 2nd Degree Murder and 1 count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. The next hearing in this case is scheduled for March 19, 2008, when the Grand Jury meets. Simmons was charged after the November 23, 2007, shooting death of Dominic Young, 15-years-old, during the attempted robbery of the Enlanka Restaurant in the 700 block of Church Street. Three other people, 1 adult male and 2 male juveniles, are also facing charges in connection with this crime.

3/11/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. TROY L. WILKINS

Today, Troy L. Wilkins, 15-years-old, pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to 1 count of First Degree Murder, 1 count of Attempted Robbery, and 2 counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 5, 2008. Wilkins was charged after the November 23, 2007, shooting death of Dominic Young, 15-years-old, during the attempted robbery of the Enlanka Restaurant in the 700 block of Church Street. Three other people, 1 adult male and 2 male juveniles, are also facing charges in connection with this crime.

3/11/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. XAVIER LEVORNE JONES

Today, Xavier Levorne Jones, 20-years-old, pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to 1 count of Child Cruelty/Neglect/Abuse and 1 count of Malicious Wounding. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 18, 2008. Jones was charged in July 2007 after Norfolk Police Detectives investigated injuries to his daughter. She is now recovering from her injuries.

3/14/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. MYRON EUGENE FOX, JR.

Today, a jury in Norfolk Circuit Court recommended Myron Eugene Fox, Jr., 31-years-old, serve 7 years in prison after convicting him in a 3 day trial of 1 count of 2nd Degree Murder. Fox’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2008. Fox was charged after the August 30, 2007, beating of a man, Edward Stacknik, Jr., in the 3000 block of Tillman Road. Stacknik died 3 weeks later from his injuries in a hospital. Fox hit Stacknik 3 times with a metal baseball bat during a confrontation between their families over a relationship involving Fox’s brother, Anthony Fox, and Stacknik’s sister, Stacy Stacknik.

3/12/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. MELISSA MCDEVITT

Today, a judge in Virginia Beach Circuit Court sentenced Melissa McDevitt, 34-years-old, to 5 years in prison with all of the time suspended for the conviction of 1 count of Prescription Forgery. She previously pleaded guilty to the charge. Supervised probation to include drug screening and counseling and being of uniform good behavior for 5 years are conditions of the suspended sentence. McDevitt was charged after attempting to pick up Adderall XR from a Virginia Beach pharmacy. The pharmacy had received a prescription for the controlled substance from a doctor in the name of woman other than McDevitt. When questioned by Virginia Beach Police Detectives, McDevitt said she was picking up the prescription for her mother’s friend. McDevitt’s mother told investigators she did not know the woman whose name was attached to the prescription. The woman herself did not have an Adderall XR prescription and did not know McDevitt. The doctor whose signature was on the prescription had not written it. McDevitt obtained the woman’s information while working for the City’s Flexible Benefits Program. The Office of the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney was assigned by the Virginia Beach Circuit Court to handle this case as a special prosecution

3/17/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. JAAMI LAMMAR TAYLOR

Today, Jaami Lammar Taylor, 19-years-old, pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to 1 count of 2nd Degree Murder and 1 count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 9, 2008. Taylor was charged after the shooting death of Eugene Davis on May 10, 2007, in the 2300 block of Cromwell Parkway. Another man, Eric Tyrone Cleveland, 19-years-old, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2008, for his role in the crime. On January 15, 2008, a jury recommended he serve 40 years in prison after convicting him in a 6 day jury trial of 1 count of 1st Degree Murder, 1 count of Robbery, and 2 counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.

3/17/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. TIMOTHY FEDOR KEARNEY

Today, Timothy Fedor Kearney, 28-years-old, was convicted by a judge in a 1 day bench trial of 9 felonies – 1 count of Malicious Wounding, 1 count of Attempted Robbery, 1 count of Armed Statutory Burglary, 2 counts of Abduction, and 4 counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 18, 2008. Kearney was charged following a home invasion on July 30, 2005. Kearney also has 4 felony charges of 1 count of Assault & Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer, 1 count of Escape with Force before Conviction, and 2 counts of Vandalism pending trial. He incurred those charges while being brought into custody on November 21, 2007, in connection with the July 30, 2005, home invasion.

3/21/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. ERIC TYRONE CLEVELAND

Today, a judge in Norfolk Circuit Court followed a jury’s recommendation and sentenced Eric Tyrone Cleveland, 19-years-old, to 40 years in prison for the convictions of 1 count of 1st Degree Murder, 1 count of Robbery, and 2 counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. The jury recommended the sentence after convicting him of the 4 felony charges in a 6 day jury trial in January 2008. Cleveland was charged after the shooting death of Eugene Davis on May 10, 2007, in the 2300 block of Cromwell Parkway. Another man, Jaami Lammar Taylor, 19-years-old, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2008, for his role in the crime. He pleaded guilty to 1 count of 1st Degree Murder and 1 count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony on March 17, 2008.

3/21/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. MARTINIS PRIVOTT

Today, a judge in Norfolk Circuit Court sentenced Martinis Privott, 22-years-old, to 10 years in prison with all of the time suspended for the convictions of 2 counts of Unlawful Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling. He previously pleaded guilty to the charges. The judge also placed Privott on supervised probation. Privott did serve a few months in jail before being released on bond pending resolution of the charges. Privott was charged after a shooting between several armed people on March 27, 2007, in the 2400 block of Jamaica Avenue.

3/27/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. KEYONTE ASHTON ELLIOTT

Today, Keyonte Ashton Elliott, 17-years-old, pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to 1 count of Possession of a Weapon by a Non-Violent Felon and 1 count of Brandishing a Firearm. The judge then sentenced Elliott to 5 years in prison and 12 months in jail with all of the time suspended conditioned upon his commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice for at least 2 years. He’ll be on supervised probation for 5 years following his release from custody. Elliott was charged after he pointed a loaded handgun at 2 Norfolk Police Officers in the 6200 block of Alexander Street. The officers discharged their service weapons, resulting in a single gunshot wound to Elliott’s left knee. He was arrested and treated at a hospital.
On November 29, 2007, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney John R. Doyle, III, announced his decision to not prosecute the officers for their actions, citing the use of force was justified on the grounds of self defense.

3/31/08 – COMMONWEALTH VS. SWINDELL LEONARD DAVIS

Today, Swindell Leonard Davis, 29-years-old, pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to 3 counts of Carnal Knowledge of a Minor and 1 count of Attempted Indecent Liberties. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2008. Davis was charged in January 2008 after Norfolk Police Detectives found him inside a house with a 9-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl. On January 7, 2008, the 13-year-old girl who lived at the house stayed home from school. Davis came over and the pair twice engaged in consensual sex. On January 8, 2008, Davis returned to the house and again had consensual sex with the 13-year-old. He exposed his genitals to the 9-year-old girl who was at the house that day. The detectives found Davis inside the house with the girls while looking for the 9-year-old who had been reported missing. The investigation revealed Davis met the 13-year-old girl on the Internet and that the pair had been chatting online and talking on the telephone for more than a year prior to the sexual activity.