The last of four defendants charged in connection with the December 2021 armed robbery at the Havensight Shopping Mall pleaded guilty in Superior Court. Defendant Jahmar Damian Lewis reversed a prior decision to reject a plea deal late Friday afternoon, with jury selection for his criminal trial set to begin on Monday morning.
Lewis was one of three people identified as part of a robbery team that entered Glitters Jewelry Store on Dec. 4, 2021. Two people were shot and wounded during the heist that netted an estimated $18,000 in merchandise. Gregoriana Julien — a customer in the store — later died of her injuries at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital.
A security guard on duty at the store suffered disabling injuries, according to investigators.
Had the case gone to trial, the defendant was facing 44 counts, including murder, robbery, assault, grand larceny, reckless endangerment, and multiple weapons offenses. Instead, on Friday before Superior Court Judge Carol Thomas Jacobs, Lewis admitted guilt to a single count of first-degree robbery.
Court documents filed after the hearing said the statute covering first-degree robbery was read aloud in the courtroom, followed by recital of a proffer statement by prosecutors. The proffer described the evidence the government planned to present at trial to prove the defendant’s guilt.
“ … The Court asked the People to give a Proffer to the Court of the evidence which would be offered to the Court or to the Jury had this matter proceeded to trial. The Defendant thereafter agreed with the People’s proffer,” a record of the proceedings said.
The judge accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for Oct. 16, the same day when co-defendants Michiah Cozier, Akenda Weekes, and Junior Garcia are scheduled to hear their respective punishments.
Under the V.I. Code, Lewis faces a maximum sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison.
St. Croix Source
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