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City Teen Receives Pa. Prison Sentence

WARREN, Pa. — A Jamestown teenager is headed to state prison in the wake of a firearm theft from a sporting goods store in Columbus Township last September.

Dasai K. Bradberry was sentenced on two felonies – burglary and theft by unlawful taking – as well as criminal mischief before President Judge Maureen Skerda on Friday morning.

Chief Public Defender John Parroccini, representing Bradberry, told Skerda that Bradberry is 17-years-old and has been housed at the Erie Co. jail as Warren Co. does not have a space to house juveniles.

He noted Bradberry has 166 days time served and suggested he would not be recommending a state sentence for his client as he has a “very supportive family” and is “far too young” for state prison.

District Attorney Rob Greene called it a “rough case” and said there are not offenses “a whole lot more serious that that when it comes to theft.”

He noted Bradberry has been assisting in trying to procure the stolen firearms but said they are not accounted for.

Greene said that when a firearm is stolen, it’s not sold to a hunter but more likely to a gang.

He recommended a state sentence for Bradberry.

Bradberry for his part said he is “sorry for what I did” and said he was “following the wrong crowd at the wrong time.”

He said this incident was “just a dumb mistake I did.”

Skerda noted that this was not a dumb mistake but is a felony.

She noted that he was determined to be a moderate risk to reoffend because of peer issues.

“The court has weighed what might be appropriate here,” she said, noting that boot camp in the state prison system is “something you can benefit from.”

She then sentenced Bradberry eight to 16 months in state prison, restitution totaling $1,000 to the store owner and $15,536 to an insurance company, $1,875 in fines and fees and submission of a DNA sample on a count of burglary.

Bradberry was further sentenced to 15 to 30 months in state prison with credit for 166 days time served on a count of theft by unlawful taking.

He was given priority for boot camp in the state system as well as recidivism risk reduction incentive eligibility on both charges.

Skerda also ordered a $350 fine on a count of criminal mischief.

Troopers were dispatched to C&H Sports, 45490 US 6, Corry, on Sept. 14 at 7:30 a.m. on a report of a commercial burglary.

The statement said that the owner reported receiving a call from the alarm company that monitors the business. The owner then “went to the business to further investigate without involving Pennsylvania State Police,” a Wednesday statement said. “He further reported that upon arrival he discovered that entry had been gained through a window air conditioning unit and approximately 32 handguns had been taken from the various glass cases.”

Troopers say that led to a “joint investigation with the Jamestown Police Department as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)” led to Bradberry’s identification.

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