By Guy Leonard, County Times
HOLLYWOOD, Md. (July 24, 2008)—Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Stamm sentenced a 19-year-old Mechanicsville man to just 180 days in the county detention center for his part in the theft of several guns from a victim’s residence, locked away in a safe.
Christopher Allen Williams admitted that the weapons found at his home Jan. 4 by police were stolen but that he had nothing to do with the actual break ins that occurred in December of 2007.
Williams was sentenced to charges of theft, possession of a stolen regulated firearm and possessing a stolen firearm while being under 21 years of age.
Each of the charges carried a five-year sentence but much of that was suspended.
“The person who stole the weapons was on drugs real bad,” Williams said.
Stamm chided Williams for not owning up to what the court believed was Williams’ part in the burglaries.
“You’ve never owned up to your wrongdoing, even in juvenile court,” Stamm said. “You continually get into positions with people who get you into trouble.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind you were involved in criminal activity.”
While Williams will only spend a short time in jail he will still have 13-and-a-half years of backup time to serve in the Department of Corrections if he violates his parole.
He will also be on five years of probation after his release from jail.
Prosecutors believe that two other suspects were involved in the break ins along with Williams.
According to charging documents at the time of the burglary, St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations detectives alleged that they recovered six weapons from Williams’ own bedroom during their investigation, including some that had been reported stolen in a Hughesville burglary in December of last year.
Detectives also found a sawed-off shotgun, according to charging documents, altered to have a 13-inch barrel.
Williams has also been ordered to pay restitution to the victims in the case totaling $4,400 for their losses.
Charging documents stated that Williams’ own parents had identified the stolen weapons after he had brought them into their home.
In charging documents Williams’ parents stated they overheard their son make phone calls in an attempt to find a buyer for the allegedly stolen weapons.