Argument over PB&J sandwich sends man to jail for two years

By Andre Jones | October 17, 2016 9:19 pm

A sandwich that has delighted kids for decades ended up costing a Lanexa man two years of freedom.

Sidney Ryan Rich, 52, of the 3500 block of Good Hope Road, accepted a plea deal to one count of possession of a weapon by a nonviolent felon during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court.

In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, around 11 p.m. on July 5, New Kent Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence after a verbal altercation was reported. When deputies arrived, Rich’s wife said the two had gotten into an argument over a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. One of the officers asked the woman if both had been drinking after smelling the scent of alcohol. She confirmed that they had and also said that her husband had two rifles in the home after he was convicted as a felon. When the officer asked Rich about the weapons, he gave consent for his home to be searched and showed the officers two rifles in a soft case wrapped in a blanket. The defendant was placed under arrest shortly afterwards.

Under the plea agreement, Rich received a five-year sentence with three years suspended. His two years of active jail time is a mandatory sentence required by state law.

In other circuit court proceedings:

–John Glaseman Adams III, 42, of the 5500 block of Lakeview Road, Quinton, received a formal sentence of two years in jail to one count each of DUI (with a prior felony) and DUI while having a revoked license. Adams received guilty convictions to the two charges during an Aug. 9 trial that stemmed from him operating a vehicle on June 2, 2015. On each of the charges he received a five-year jail sentence with four year suspended. His one year to serve on each charge is the mandatory minimum required by state law.

–Milford S. Diggs, 39, of the 500 block of Lampkinton Road, Burgess, received a three-year formal sentence on one count of distribution of marijuana (greater than one-half ounce). Diggs accepted a plea deal on Aug. 9 to the charge as well as misdemeanor operating a vehicle with a revoked license. He received a five-year sentence with two years suspended on the felony charge, while all six months on the misdemeanor charge were suspended.

–Randolph Joseph Kierstead, 35, of the 800 block of West Riverside Drive, Lanexa, had one charge of strangulation dropped. Special prosecutor Clay Blanton advised the court that a witness in the case was reluctant to testify.