Sylvester Jeremy, 42 of Marigot, has 27 previous convictions, mostly for theft and resisting arrest, has been in the court system since 1995 and claims he has spent half of his life in prison.
Now he is facing more jail time after he pleaded guilty to stealing watches and other items belonging to Joel McIntyre, the son of Dr. Collin McIntyre, MP for the Roseau Valley.
When he appeared before a Roseau Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, he faced charges for the theft of two gold rings costing $500, a watch valued at $271.69, an Ipod costing $500, a camcorder, among other items and $75 in coins.
The total value of the items stolen amounted to $3,563.09.
He was sentenced to two years and three months in the slammer for the offenses.
The incident took place at the home of McIntyre at Cornwall Street, Roseau on August 16, 2014.
Jeremy was also charged with battery on police and resisting arrest on the same date.
Police Prosecutor Corporal David Andrew (Jr), who presented the facts to the court, said that at about 4:35 pm on the said date, the police were on duty in Roseau and while traveling on Victoria Street they noticed a group of persons, including the complainant and his father Dr. McIntyre, chasing the defendant in the vicinity of the Dominica State House.
They all ended up in struggle and several pieces of jewelry and watches were scattered on the ground.
The police intervened but Jeremy resisted violently saying, “All you want to kill me like the partner in Portsmouth.”
He was eventually arrested and transported to the Roseau Police Station and the jewelry was seized by the police.
Later that same day the complainant made a report at the Roseau Police Station.
The following day police brought Jeremy to the Criminal and Investigation Department (CID) and informed him of a report of burglary that was made against him.
“I know you very well, a theft charge I had,” he responded to the police. “I saw the place open. All the doors were opened. I went upstairs I took watches, chains and money but I cannot remember all what I took. I was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. I will plead guilty in court and I will give you all your things back.”
When Jeremy appeared in court on Tuesday, he begged Magistrate Michael Bruney to be lenient since he said he did not waste the court’s time.
According to him, prison isn’t the best place to be.
“Prison is not the best place for me, seeing that I have spent half of my life there,” he said “”I am very remorseful for what I have done to the complainant and the court.”
It was later revealed by Magistrate Bruney that the defendant has been in the court system since 1995 with 27 previous convictions, the majority being theft and resisting arrest.
“I will take into consideration that you pleaded guilty and did not waste the court’s time, and was remorseful. After resisting you cooperated and apologized to police,” Magistrate Bruney said.
He was sentenced to three months in prison for battery on police, which will run concurrently with a two year sentence for theft.
There was no separate penalty for the charge of resisting arrest.
The watches, chains, gold rings, Ipod were recovered. However, the camcorder and $57.00 worth of coins were not found.
the maximum penalty for theft is 7yrs, so why send them repeated offenders to little jail time when the law is there. Tiyani that was the bad one that’s why the criminals know is social magistrate that’s here..shame
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Where is my post not in pending any more, .Just gone SMH
Jeremy saw the door opened and he considered it an invitation to walk into a property which does not belong to him as if he was invited and stole some items. If he was not caught he probably would have sold them for cash and continued stealing.
I laughed at that too, he, using their very words and making this statement to the magistrate to receive leniency.
Jeremy used the same jargon that the lawyers use for their clients, “He did not waste the Court’s time.” At least he knows that much.
Well, he got some. He was not charged for resisting arrest and for informing the police “You want to kill me like the man in Portsmouth.” Jeremy is intelligent enough to listen to the news or read the newspapers. He knows what is occurring in D/ca and appears to pay keen attention to it.
What is the Law going to do with Jeremy? He is a habitual thief. He has 27 convictions, has been imprisoned many times for theft, released and he returns to his cycle of thievery habits.
By his own admission he said he has spent a certain portion of his life in prison and that prison is not a good place for him. Yet he continues to steal. Something must be wrong with that man since he cannot help avoiding stealing.
The Law must think of how this man could be rehabilitated in order to curb his urge for stealing. I turn to the Lord and ask him to please assist Jeremy and send someone with a wise idea and solution to assist this man to give up his life of crime that he will lead a useful life which will also benefit the Dominican society on the whole. Lord, please put a hand.
Having stated the above, the following thought crossed my mind:
“This man has swayed from God and his faith. He needs to return to the faith and practice of same. While in prison he should be given a Bible to study and religious instructions which may change him.” May someone help him. In Jesus Name I pray.
He is really a pro ,he is even saying that he did not waste the court’s time and expected the court to be lenient on him. This is all the crap these criminals are hearing from lawyers now a days.
Still he thinks he is right to walk into someone’s home and go in to steal, he thinks as the doors were open and he walked in , he couldn’t be charged for burglary, so he convinced himself that he could only be charged for theft. I can see that he is a habitual criminal
the solution is bring him in the channel between d/ca and gwada and let him swim back to land cuz he already dont like freedom.
This guys need to be rehabilitated, he clearly has issues that people are not aware of and needs help.. So they send him to prison then what? he comes out and commits another crime? This is sad..
Steve, I would send him to the Sahara Desert to see if he can dig for things to steal.
And in two years, odds are that we’ll see this fellow back among us making more trouble. What is the solution?