More time handed to men involved in multi-county burglaries

A second jurisdiction has handed two men involved in burglaries in multiple counties additional jail time after each accepted a plea deal.

William Lawrence Paige, 52, of the 1300 block of Burma Court Road, Richmond, and Benjamin Potter, 37, of the 9300 block of Horsecastle Court Road, Glen Allen, elected to accept plea agreements during Aug. 14 proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court. Paige entered a guilty plea to one count of grand larceny, with one additional count of grand larceny and one count of intent to sell stolen property dropped. Potter submitted Alford pleas of guilt (stipulating while maintaining his innocence the evidence would be sufficient enough to convict him of the crime) to two counts of grand larceny. One count each of burglary and intent to sell stolen property were dropped.

In a summary of evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, on Dec. 29, 2014, Paige and Potter entered into a shed belonging to Michael Sullivan. The duo confiscated a variety of power tools including chainsaws, a leaf blower, and a weed-eater. Those items were sold to a pawn shop in Hanover for money. Both men were later arrested for the crime. Potter received the second grand larceny conviction stemming from a Jan. 15 theft in which he stole hunting clothes from the porch of a woman.

Under the plea agreement, Lawrence was sentenced to 20 years in jail with all but one year, six months suspended on his single count of grand larceny. Potter will serve two years of a 20-year sentence on one charge of grand larceny, with all 20 years suspended on the second charge as part of his plea deal.

Both men are currently serving four years or more for similar crimes in neighboring New Kent County. Tyler commented that each man also has received charges in King William and Hanover counties for burglaries. Federal prosecutors have also indicted Paige and Potter, with each defendant receiving 16 charges for selling and transporting stolen firearms. Those cases are expected to be heard during the late fall.