Area man sentenced for burglary, assault

Area man sentenced for burglary, assault

Martavis Scales received an 11 year prison sentence for burglary and a seven year sentence for an assault, both stemming from crimes Scales committed last summer in Cape Girardeau, according to a news release written and signed by Cape Girardeau Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle. On Sept. 2, Scales, 25, of 812 Good Hope St., pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and first-degree burglary charges. The assault conviction involved a shooting on July 9, 2008, what Scales said in his guilty plea had been a "shoot-out" with another man in the 400 block of Benton Street. At a preliminary hearing in August of 2008, the other man denied being armed or firing any shots at Scales, saying he was running away while Scales shot at him. All of the shots missed. On July 6, 2008, Scales admitted to burglarizing an apartment on North Frederick Street to steal marijuana. The occupants of the apartments said he had forced his way into the apartment and stole cash, but denied knowing anyhthing about the half-pound of marijuana Scales claimed to have taken.

Scales' two sentences will run concurrently with one another, Swingle said.