Weed Thieves

[abe supercro]

http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/577752.html

ESCANABA - A 23-year-old Escanaba man was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison Tuesday in connection with a break-in and theft of medical marijuana plants from an Escanaba home last year. The judgment was handed down in Delta County Circuit Court.

Andrew John Romashko was arrested last year after he broke into the basement of a residence on North 11th Street and stole marijuana plants that were locked up. The break-in occurred Nov. 7, while residents were in their home.

Following a two-day trial in May, a jury found Romashko guilty of first-degree home invasion, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Due to a prior felony conviction, Circuit Court Judge Stephen Davis sentenced Romashko as a second-offense habitual offender, upping the defendant's maximum sentencing. Romashko was ordered to spend a minimum of four years and three months to up to 30 years in prison.

 

[gladstoned]

Dang Abe, that's right around the corner.
I catcha fuckin tweeker in my basement, I am gonna try to sentence him a little longer than that.

So how does that score read? He got 4 years three months for stealing a few plants. What did the guy get in Engadine for trying to grow 450 plants?

 

[Trichyn9ne]

Nice post abe! I do like to see stories like that. Looks like punks may see some serious time for stealing fruits of our labor!

 

[purklize]

Holy fuck, 30 years? What is this, Saudi Arabia? Maybe I'm going against the grain here but that seems way too harsh - that's basically like a death sentence. I'm glad they're treating it as a real crime, but wow.

 

[abe supercro]

Minimum of 4 years 3 months, and it was his second felony conviction. He'll likely be out within 5 yrs, but it sends the right message. Yeah Glad, I too would think about giving him a life sentence (or the opposite) just before I slide one of my machetes into his limp hand.

 

[purklize]

I guess I am just not a fan of the criminal justice system we have here at all. I met some seriously twisted people when I was in, but I would bet money being locked up did at least half the job making them that way. Get them all pissed off and claustrophobic, humiliate them... and then after all that trauma and anger in jail, out they go back onto the streets. Humiliation is well known as one of the best ways to turn someone violent, they have to be given a way to save face, to redeem themselves... if they feel backed into a corner and hated and ostracized their response will not be surprising... public humiliation has triggered revolutions, backfiring on those in charge... I don't know what the solution is but the one we're trying now is definitely not it. It doesn't make me comfortable knowing there's people pissed as fuck wandering around there fresh out of jail. I'm the gentlest person you'll ever meet and hell, *I* was thinking violent thoughts when I got out of there, for the first time in my life.

Four years is still a hell of a long time - an eternity, really - for someone who's just 23... and compared to other sentences, it's very harsh, much harsher than a typical vehicular homicide charge... hell, I had a roommate who fucked someone up bad, shit was wicked... and all he got was 45 days. (He came out more pissed and unstable than he went in, of course.)

We need to get over our desire for vengeance and think more about end results. Prisons should be run by psychologists who use the scientific method to find the best ways to reform problem individuals. We would all be better off for it. Again, I don't know the answers - but I think they are the best qualified to find them.

Not that I don't understand the desire for vengeance. I got screwed over badly by a burglary a few years ago, lost over half of the value of everything I owned at the time, including a lot of memories. I still want to kick that guy in the balls.

I will always stand behind those who defend themselves in their homes, too. Keeping yourself and your family safe comes first, period. Those invading your home consciously decided to risk their lives, you did not - so I see no shame in it. Just be sure you aren't blowing away a family member. It happens more often than you'd think.

 

[abe supercro]

Yes Purk it does sound severe, 4 real 'time' yrs at 23, when less time with productive rehabilitation may serve everyone better in the long run. A rather bold move for a young man though, B and E into a home and crop removal. I'd know that I'd be damn hesitant to cause any harm to another human, yet if they're in your crib... Best bet is to assume it's a v. serious prob... Darn I gave away my "he had the machete, before things went south" Alibi. guess I'll have to trade real violence, for only talkin shit and possibly another creative writing class at the community college.

The privatization of prisons and the need for the Prison Corp. to keep full and profitable has become a scary reality here in the U.S.

 

[abe supercro]

Also good point of caution: often when a stranger is in your home, it's not a stranger but someone that you gave the key to or a family member. Also often when someone is ripped-off, it's not from a complete stranger, or at least the info that led the jackers there. So only shoot them if they have, or are going for, your weed, regardless of relationship. jk

 

[purklize]

One more thing I should point out:

The reason we feel desire for revenge is because we've been humiliated.

It's easy to see why this is such a hard cycle to break...

 

[abe supercro]

I can relate... the lose-lose vicious cycle. (humiliation=anger/revenge) A good one to be conscious of..
Our current system needs an overhaul.. Are any other countries taking a more progressive approach...

 

[jedifromthe red eye]

Sweden has a progressive approach I believe...

they give out Swedish meatballs for chow---

theses type of scumbag deserve whatever they get....

i like the Saudi Arabia progressive approach....

they cut their hands off so they can't pick up anything! or steal--

or you could take the dtroit approach----"don't fk with my $....or my dope!" ...."or it's two to the head!!"

 

[FatMarty]

Minimum of 4 years 3 months, and it was his second felony conviction. He'll likely be out within 5 yrs, but it sends the right message. Yeah Glad, I too would think about giving him a life sentence (or the opposite) just before I slide one of my machetes into his limp hand.

You have to drive a steak through his art, I mean stake through his heart, in case he is a Zombie.
Yeah that maximim means little unless he likes to pick up tickets.
4 yrs. for breaking into an occupied dwelling while folks are home is mild in my opinion.

 

[Trichyn9ne]

I agree with both views on this one. since this young man has had priors he needs to sit some time. Unfortunetly that's all this country has to punish those that fuck up. I feel ya on the prison/jail system being more damaging to ones life than good. I was the same way and could say with 100 percent certainty that I'll never be the same happy go lucky kid I was when I went in...I've had severe hate for the system ever since. Private Prisons scare the shit out of me!! How the fuck is that legal?

 

[Beagle]

Now since it is a 30 max, is that how long he'll be on parole? I know if he violates, they could max him out, but can parole officers let you off paper early like probation officers can?

 

[stumpjumper]

break into my and you better pray like hell that you'll only get 4 years..... It's not harsh at all. They should chop off his fucking hands.

 

[purklize]

break into my and you better pray like hell that you'll only get 4 years..... It's not harsh at all. They should chop off his fucking hands.

Glad you're not in charge.

 

[JASON79]

there can never be a reason for braking into sombody house

this often kills old people or affect's there last years of life or someone could clime in a young child bed room and give that kid nightmares for years

and these people often get away with it a lot of times before getting court

so life or cut there hands off sounds good

 

[purklize]

Then move to Saudi Arabia. That's policy there and I hear it's a great place.

 

[abe supercro]

I'll say that in previous dwellings I've had a shit ton of break-ins and theft, Capital City kinda can blow like that. It's amazing the bullshit humans can cope with given repeated exposure. If you're living on your garden, things are way safer. In the past I've enjoyed being a commuter gardener, but it eats up your time. And occasionally the hood can eat up your crop. I've only had seeds and equipment stolen, never herb..

As far as weed thieves, do as the Swedes do, like Jedi said... "Give 'em Meatballs".

 

[purklize]

You know, it'd actually be fun to set up a dummy garden and attract thieves, and when they break in they find a bunch of dead pot plants with meatballs tied to the sticks as "buds."