Man charged with stealing from construction sites negotiating for plea deal
A Canton Township man charged with stealing building materials from a construction site is in the process of negotiating a plea deal with Washtenaw County prosecutors.
Richard Sherwood, 33, is charged with 4 counts of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, 1 count of larceny of items worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000, 1 count of larceny in a building and receiving stolen property worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 across 4 court cases.
Police say Sherwood and Thomas Vickery, an Ypsilanti Township man, broke into a building under construction at 5725 Hines Drive in July and took materials belonging to Tecumseh Products. Pittsfield Township police, who worked with officers from Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan public safety departments, arrested them on Aug. 1.
Richard Sherwood
Courtesy Michigan Department of Corrections
Vickery is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 3 for larceny in a building, breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, larceny of items worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 and receiving stolen property worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000.
Sherwood is being held in the Washtenaw County Jail.
He is on probation for a possession of cocaine conviction in March 2010, according to state records. He has previously served jail time for 2 assault with a dangerous weapon charges and a felony firearms charge, stemming from a September 2003 incident, according to state records.
Each charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge of receiving stolen property worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 carries a maximum of 5 years in prison. The charge of larceny of items worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 also carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The charge of larceny in a building carries a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison.
Sherwood will return to court on Oct. 24.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Sallyxyz
Wed, Sep 28, 2011 : 1:39 p.m.
Another example of Washtenaw Cty "negotiating" a plea deal with a career criminal. I just don't get it. Throw this guy in prison for a while and let him serve a sentence that means something, not just a slap on the wrist. With his rap sheet, he's just waiting for his next hit. He obviously didn't serve enough jail time for previous offenses and hasn't learned any lessons.
JSA
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:16 p.m.
Why would you negotiate a plea deal with a career criminal?
hut hut
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:40 p.m.
Why was UM public safety assisting Pittsfield twp? Don't they have enough to do here in Ann Arbor with a serial rapist loose and drunk and destructive students "partying"?
Gordon
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:36 p.m.
AH, another example of how a little jail time has educated our present criminal to new & higher forms of activity. Now the penalities are becoming more serious; but has this changed our criminals behavior? So, tax payors what would you have the prosecutor do? You pay for the trial, you pay for the jail time, and you pay when he gets out. maybe jail is still too attractive to some? My TV bill is too expensive & I don't watch all the channels nor do I have it on all the time. Those residing in our government supplied housing must make better use of the TV then I. I'm not being efficient.
jcj
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:12 p.m.
We need to change the title of prosecutor to Chief Negotiator!
information please
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:11 p.m.
Why were EMU and UM police involved in this arrest? Are the accused associated with the universities? An explanation would make this a more relevant local story since the crime took place outside of the Ypsi/Ann Arbor area.
information please
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:17 p.m.
Hmmm, perhaps the other thefts occurred on campus? It's still not very clear.
Jimmy McNulty
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:01 p.m.
With this person's prior rap sheet and violation of probation, why are prosecutors negotiating anything? On a side note....is that a tattoo on his face, or is he getting ready for Halloween to be the Terminator?
Gorc
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:41 a.m.
Facial and neck tattoos say - "limited income for the rest of my life".
bedrog
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.
not if you marry jesse james ( sandra bullock's ex)
JHW426
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:27 a.m.
Facial tatoos may not be the best career move for someone who appears to be an aspiring career criminal.
smokeblwr
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11 a.m.
I see the rising price of tattoo removal procedures is driving some to crime.....