Man Sentenced To 2.5 Years In Robbery

A 23-year-old California man was sentenced to serve at least two-and-a-half years in prison on Wednesday in a June 2009 robbery that involved the shooting of a New London resident.

Corey Barnes, of 1402 Navarro Ave. in Pasadena, Calif. was sentenced to serve 28 months of a 10-year sentence as well as three years of probation. Barnes was charged with criminal attempt to commit first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first degree robbery. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in February.

The incident occurred at 239 Nautilus Ave. Police found that then 21-year-old Calvin Curtis Thomas had been shot in the neck, with the bullet lodging in his chest. Thomas said he had been shot during a struggle with masked men when he returned to his apartment from a party. Thomas’ ex-girlfriend, then 20-year-old Danielle Beltran, admitted to police that she was angry with Thomas, knew he had large amount of cash from selling narcotics, and asked her cousin, then 21-year-old Jerrod Steele, to rob Thomas.

Police determined that Beltran and Steele took Barnes and then 21-year-old Sean Quintero to Thomas’ apartment. The three other co-defendants have already been sentenced. Beltran was ordered to serve three years of a 10-year sentence, Steele to serve five years of a 12-year sentence, and Quintero seven years of a 15-year sentence.

Barnes’ February decision was an Alford plea, in which the defendant disagrees with some of the state’s argument but does not want to take the case to trial. His attorney, Paul Chinigo, said Barnes was the last person picked up on the evening of the robbery and stood at the door during the attack “making sure no one else was involved in what he thought would be a physical confrontation.”

Chinigo said Barnes has some minor prior criminal convictions and a difficult family life, but graduated from high school and attended some vocational courses. State’s Attorney Michael Regan said prosecutors determined that Beltran and Quintero were most liable for the incident, with Steele receiving more prison time because other cases were included in the sentencing.

Judge Patrick J. Clifford said the fact that Thomas was largely uncooperative with investigators as well as the determination that Barnes was least culpable contributed to the sentence. He warned Barnes against associating with people who could get him into trouble, since he would have the remaining prison time hanging over his head. During the probationary period, Barnes must have no contact with Thomas, attend appropriate counseling, find employment, and make a $220 charitable contribution within six months of his release.