Police traffic stops in New Kent lead to felony charges

Suspects from Charlottesville, Norfolk, Richmond, and West Virginia have been found guilty in New Kent Circuit Court on June 23 on charges that all resulted from separate, unrelated police traffic stops in the county.

Derrick Allen Martin, 22, of 1800 Monticello Ave. in Charlottesville, pleaded guilty to felony eluding police. Prosecutor Linwood Gregory told the court that Martin was behind the wheel of a car stopped last Feb. 8 for speeding on Farmer’s Drive (Route 273) by a New Kent deputy. As the car slowed, a front seat passenger jumped out and fled on foot.

Martin and two back seat passengers remained inside, but the car took off, resulting in a short chase. When the car stopped a second time, the deputy ordered all three out at gunpoint.

Martin faces up to five years in prison when sentencing is held in August. He is being held in jail and being evaluated for alternative sentencing.

Joseph Edward Bouldin Jr., 35, of 1100 Wilson Drive Apt. 11 in Norfolk, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As part of a plea deal, two misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon and possessing false identification were dropped.

Last Jan. 3 around 5 a.m., a State Police trooper stooped a car driven by Bouldin for speeding on Interstate 64.  Gregory told the court that Bouldin handed the trooper another person’s driver’s license and that person turned out to be wanted, resulting in Bouldin’s arrest.

Searching Bouldin, the trooper found a loaded .380 Bersa handgun in a pocket of coveralls the suspect was wearing. The search also turned up over $3,500 in cash.

Bouldin told police he awoke that morning and put on his brother’s coveralls and had no idea the firearm was in a pocket, but three rounds were recovered from his jeans pocket. He also said he was on his way to Richmond to pay court fines, but could neither tell the trooper which courthouse nor how to get there.

Before imposing sentence, Judge Thomas B. Hoover noted Bouldin’s long criminal record that included larceny, cocaine possession, forgery, credit card theft, and receiving stolen goods convictions.

Following terms of the plea agreement, Hoover sentenced Bouldin to five years in prison with all but a mandatory two years suspended for the next 25 years. A civil case has been scheduled on forfeiture of the $3,500.

James Timothy Isaacs, 19, of 509 South Holly Ave. in Richmond, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges. As part of a plea deal, a felony cocaine possession count was dropped.

Last Nov. 9, a State Police trooper spotted a scooter being driven erratically by Isaacs on Route 612. In addition to Isaacs, there were two other people on board. All three had been drinking, Gregory told the court.

A pipe found in Isaacs’ pocket tested positive for marijuana and cocaine residue. Isaacs claimed he had borrowed the pipe from someone else, but admitted to having used the device to smoke four bowls of marijuana earlier with his friends.

Following plea deal terms, Hoover imposed 12-month jail terms for second offense marijuana possession and underage possession of alcohol, suspending all but one month. On a reckless driving conviction, the judge levied a $250 fine.

Isaacs told Hoover that marijuana, not cocaine, was his drug of choice, prompting the judge to order a drug test. The test came back positive for marijuana.

Isaacs had requested to postpone his one-month jail time in order to tie up personal business, but Hoover refused in light of the test results.

“You broke terms of your bond by going out and smoking marijuana,” the judge told the defendant. “I’m not going to be responsible for you going out of this court and smoking some more.”

Joshua Adam Brewer, 36, of 303 Central Ave. in Petersburg, W. Va., pleaded guilty to cocaine possession. As part of a plea deal, a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession was dropped.

A State Police trooper stopped a car driven by Brewer for speeding last Nov. 2 on Interstate 64. A search of the vehicle recovered a device used for smoking drugs stashed in the console.

Sentencing for Brewer has been postponed until August so that authorities here can obtain the defendant’s criminal record in West Virginia.

Brewer, who remains free on bond, has asked to be placed on first offender status that calls for one-year probation and 100 hours of community service.