3 guilty in online theft ruse; Siblings posed as girl.Byline: Gary V. Murray WORCESTER - Three siblings from Gardner admitted in court yesterday that they used an online ruse Ruse (r  `sĕ), city (1993 pop. 170,209), NE Bulgaria, on the Danube River bordering Romania. The chief river port of Bulgaria, it is also an industrial and communications center. to lure two victims from their homes for
purposes of robbing one and burglarizing the other's apartment.
Lawrence M. Lafrennie, 24, of 36 Ridgewood Lane, Gardner, was sentenced to 2 years in the House of Correction house of correction n. pl. houses of correction An institution for the confinement of persons convicted of minor criminal offenses. Noun 1. with 1 year to be served after pleading guilty in Worcester Superior Court to charges of armed robbery, unarmed burglary, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (stick), larceny larceny, in law, the unlawful taking and carrying away of the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of its use or to appropriate it to the use of the perpetrator or of someone else. from a building, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed burglary. Judge John S. McCann suspended the balance of the jail sentence jail sentence jail n → peine f de prison for 5 years with probation and gave Mr. Lafrennie credit for 231 days he spent in custody awaiting trial. Mr. Lafrennie's 19-year-old brother, Thomas Lafrennie, and 18-year-old sister, Amanda Lafrennie, were sentenced to time served and probation after pleading guilty to identical charges. Assistant District Attorney Christopher P. Hodgens said the three siblings and another man, 19-year-old Bryan H. Bowers of Orange, deceived the two male victims by posing as a teenage girl from Templeton on the Web site MySpace.com and using a stolen photograph of the girl to create their own home page. On the night of May 7, Mr. Hodgens said, the Gardner home of Evan Croft was burglarized by the four suspects after Mr. Croft went to a gas station on Oak Street in Gardner for a prearranged pre·ar·range tr.v. pre·ar·ranged, pre·ar·rang·ing, pre·ar·rang·es To arrange in advance. pre meeting with a girl he believed to be "Erica Smith." A digital camera, a cell phone, alcohol and cash were stolen from the apartment by the Lafrennies and Mr. Bowers drove the getaway vehicle, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Mr. Hodgens. Five days later, the second victim, 26-year-old Nicholas O'Rourke, was robbed at Dunn Pond Park Pond Park (originally called North Chesham) is an area of Chesham in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, built on the hills to the north of the town starting in 1929. This includes a small parade of shops. after going there early in the morning to meet the same "Erica Smith," the prosecutor told Judge McCann. Mr. Hodgens said Mr. O'Rourke saw Ms. Lafrennie upon his arrival at the park and was jumped from behind by Lawrence Lafrennie and Mr. Bowers when he approached her. Mr. O'Rourke had what he believed was a gun held to his back and was knocked to the ground before being robbed of a cell phone, cash, cigarettes and an iPod, according to Mr. Hodgens. The prosecutor said the suspects later admitted to police that a stick was held to Mr. O'Rourke's back during the robbery. The victim, who has a disabling dis·a·ble tr.v. dis·a·bled, dis·a·bling, dis·a·bles 1. To deprive of capability or effectiveness, especially to impair the physical abilities of. 2. Law To render legally disqualified. illness, trekked through a swamp and woods after the holdup and called police after making his way to a home on a secondary road, Mr. Hodgens said. Gardner police stopped Thomas Lafrennie for driving after suspension of his license on May 16 and discovered Mr. Croft's cell phone and camera in his possession, according to the prosecutor. All four suspects later admitted their involvement in the robbery and the burglary, Mr. Hodgens said. Mr. Bowers has pleaded not guilty and his case has been continued to March 18 for trial. The sentence imposed on Lawrence Lafrennie yesterday was recommended by Mr. Hodgens for all three siblings. The elder Lafrennie's lawyer, Michael G. Cashman, agreed with the sentencing recommendation. The prosecutor said he was proposing a downward departure from sentencing guidelines because of the young age of the suspects, their cooperation with authorities, and their troubled home environment. Amanda Lafrennie's lawyer, Kelli Porges, and Thomas Lafrennie's lawyer, Patrick Burke Patrick Burke may refer to:
Judge McCann adopted the defense recommendations for the two younger siblings. As conditions of probation, all three were ordered to undergo mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations and any related treatment deemed appropriate by the Probation Department. ART: PHOTO PHOTOG pho·tog n. Informal A person who takes photographs, especially as a profession; a photographer. : T&G Photo/CHRISTINE PETERSON CUTLINE: In court in their arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted in May are, from left, Thomas Lafrennie, Lawrence M. Lafrennie, Amanda Lafrennie and Bryan H. Bowers. |
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