COURTLAND—Two Franklin men were sentenced Thursday in connection with a string of burglaries in the city last year.
Charles Cary, 23, who was facing nine burglary charges and six charges of grand larceny, was sentenced in Southampton County Circuit Court to a total of nine years for his role in the burglaries and two years for a violation-of-probation charge.
Co-defendant Christopher Artis, 19, who was facing seven counts of burglary and three of grand larceny, was sentenced to a total of eight years and six months in prison.
Both will be on probation for 10 years after leaving prison and will be required to get their GEDs upon completion of their sentences, said Judge Mark O. Jacobson.
Cary will pay $12,091 in restitution, while Artis will pay $5,244.
“Once someone’s home is invaded, it’s hard to comprehend how someone will feel safe in that home without apprehension, and you are the cause of that,” Jacobson told Artis. “Those people will be afraid for the rest of their lives.”
Artis’ attorney, Jennifer Walsh, asked the judge to consider an alternative to prison time so that her client could be rehabilitated.
Artis apologized to the victims and asked the judge for leniency because he has a 4-month-old daughter.
“I would like to say I apologize to the victims,” Artis said. “I would like to better myself. I would like to see my little girl grow up.”
Artis had previously pleaded guilty to the charges.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Toni Colvin asked the judge to levy three years for each burglary count for each defendant – a total of 21 years in prison for Artis and 27 years for Cary.
“I would submit the commonwealth’s recommendation is significantly unreasonable,” said Jack Randall, attorney for Cary.
Randall said that not only did Cary confess to police about the burglaries, but he also pleaded guilty to the charges in order to keep the victims from the trauma of a trial.
Randall asked the judge to consider a sentence of six years and five months to seven years, nine months as an appropriate sentence.
Colvin argued that Cary didn’t confess until after police told him that he was on video.
Artis and Cary were charged with break-ins at 599 W. Second Ave. 4A, 402 W. First Ave., 305 Bogart St., 700 Charles St., 401 W. First Ave., 827 Cool Spring St., 303 W. Fourth Ave. and 302 Beamon St.
In addition Artis was charged with burglary for a break-in at 307 Grove St. Cary faces an additional charge of burglary for an incident at 501 Cameron St.