Judge will sentence 10 from area today on assortment of charges

Ten defendants are set to be sentenced today in a Cape Girardeau County courtroom after admitting to roles in crimes ranging from the high-dollar theft of a sandwich shop to felony drug possession.

Judge Benjamin Lewis will preside over more than 70 cases today during law day proceedings starting at 9 a.m. in Jackson.

For the 10 defendants from this area -- eight men and two women -- the day could end with them on a period of probation or a stint in prison.

Those to be sentenced include Cape Girardeau County residents who have pleaded guilty to forgery, drug possession, theft, repeated drunken driving and intentionally setting a fire.

* Marcus E. Davis is first up, with a 9 a.m. sentencing hearing after he pleaded guilty Nov. 26 to one count of felony forgery. Davis, of Murphysboro, Ill., told Lewis then that he had walked into a Cape Girardeau car dealership, signed a check that belonged to someone else for almost $24,000 and driven off in a new car. Davis, who represented himself in court, negotiated a plea deal with prosecutors and was released on his own recognizance the next day. He faces up to seven years in prison, although prosecutors have agreed to recommend probation in the case if Davis can make full restitution, which at the time he assured Lewis he could do.

* Samantha R. Berryman of Cape Girardeau is to be sentenced on a forgery charge for a transaction that allegedly took place in November. Berryman, 21, on Jan. 14 pleaded guilty to falsifying a check and was also released on her own recognizance the next day. She pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal; her charge carries a maximum punishment of up to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

* Blaze M. Stephens, 20, is scheduled to be sentenced after he admitted to breaking into the Subway restaurant in Jackson in July and taking about $1,300 in cash. Stephens pleaded guilty in November and his original sentencing hearing was pushed back because he was unavailable for court due to a medical situation, according to court documents. Stephens, of Cape Girardeau, originally was charged with burglary, but he pleaded to the lesser charge as part of a deal that he hopes will help him avoid the possible seven years in prison the new theft charge carries.

* Kevin N. Cotner, 46, is to be sentenced on a single felony theft charge that carries a maximum punishment of seven years in prison. The incident occurred in November, and Cotner pleaded guilty last month.

* Justin O. Seyer of Jackson could get four years after he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of knowingly burning that originally was filed as an arson charge.

Two Cape Girardeau men are in front of a judge again on charges of driving under the influence.

* Saumil C. Patel and Tyrone Deberry are charged as persistent offenders, which is legally defined as a person who has pleaded guilty to or been found guilty of two or more intoxiation-related traffic offenses. Deberry, 33, and Patel, 28, could be jailed up to four years.

Three others will be sentenced for drug possession and hope to receive time less than the maximum seven years that charge carries.

* Jordan Pinkerton, 19, of Jackson had two counts dismissed in exchange for her guilty plea Jan. 28 to one count of drug possession.

* Charlesmen D. Bobo of Cape Girardeau is to be sentenced on one count of drug possession. Bobo, 21, has pleaded guilty to similar charges in the past.

* Dustin J. Wondrick, 24, pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled substance Jan. 28.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

100 Court St., Jackson, MO