Threats in letter send Charles City man to jail for two years

A Charles City man who sent threats through a letter to an ex-girlfriend in an attempt to receive money will serve the next two years in jail.

David Scott Yates Sr., 48, of the 4500 block Rocking Horse Lane, learned his sentence on a single count of extortion during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court.

During a Feb. 14 contested trial, special prosecutor Rob Tyler presented evidence and garnered testimony from witnesses about a letter Yates wrote from jail on May 6, 2015. That letter was received in the victim’s mailbox in Quinton. The victim contacted jail authorities after reading threats made by the defendant. A search of Yates’ cell resulted in recovery of an unsent letter that echoed content as the aforementioned one.

Yates testified at his trial that the letters were written to garner a reaction out the victim who he had not heard from. But Judge B. Elliott Bondurant disagreed, saying that the May 6 letter was deemed as a reasonable threat as it asked for a specific amount of money.

Yates was sentenced to five years in jail with three years suspended (two to serve). He also will face an upcoming probation violation for the offense in Charles City.

In other circuit court matters Monday:

–Ashley Nicole Detwiler, 24, and Michael James Leccadito, 30, both of the 900 block of Pheasant Run Road, Williamsburg, each entered a guilty plea to a related crime.

On Aug. 16, 2016, Detwiler and Leccadito were living in a garage apartment belonging to Lewis Slayton. When Slayton and his family went on vacation, the two defendants entered the garage below, with Leccadito stealing leaf blowers and a chainsaw, later pawning the items for cash.

Under his guilty plea to one count of grand larceny, Leccadito received a 10-year sentence with eight years, six months suspended (one year, six months to serve). Detwiler pleaded guilty to an amended charge of misdemeanor trespassing, receiving a 12-month sentence with all time suspended. She will have to complete 100 hours of community service. The defendants must also pay $430 in restitution.

–Frank Fleming III, 43, of the 10000 block of Wolfe Manor Court, Glen Allen, entered a guilty plea to a lone count of possession of cocaine.

In a summary of evidence, New Kent deputies were executing a roadside check at the intersection of Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) and Route 618 (Adkins Road) last Aug. 24. As the defendant approached the checkpoint, one of the deputies noticed a bag thrown from the vehicle. After notifying another deputy and detecting the odor of alcohol on Fleming, another deputy retrieved the bag. Inside was a crack pipe and white powdery substance, later identified as cocaine. The defendant was subsequently arrested and charged.

Under the plea agreement, a pre-sentence report is being prepared but both parties agreed to a sentence within the recommended guidelines. Formal sentencing is scheduled for June 12.

–Curtis Eli Francisco III, 45, of the 8500 block of Quaker Road, received formal sentencing after pleading guilty to two counts of assault and battery on a family member (third offense) and an amended charge of possession of a weapon by a nonviolent felon. Francisco entered into a plea agreement during the Feb. 14 trial and admitted to the three offenses.

Francisco received a five-year sentence with all but two years suspended on the possession of a weapon by a nonviolent felon charge. Those two years are the mandatory minimum under state law. He will serve an additional six months on one of the assault and battery of a family member charges while all five years on the second charge were suspended.

–Nancy Vanessa Masin, 25, entered into a plea agreement by pleading guilty to two counts of forgery, one count of obtaining money by false pretenses, and one count of misdemeanor practicing as a nurse without a license.

In a summary of evidence, from Nov. 2015-Jan. 2016 Masin worked at Cumberland Hospital in New Kent. During that time, Masin presented herself as a Registered Nurse Applicant (RNA) and said she had completed coursework at ECPI. Suspicion arose from the hospital when the defendant failed to produce documentation of her credentials and an investigation began. A discovery of information revealed that Masin was expelled from school for failing a course and that documents she had signed and presented containing her credentials were forged. The defendant later confessed with the firm belief that she had met all the requirements to be a nurse and that a pending appeal would have fallen in her favor.

Under the agreement, no formal finding will be made as the defendant is paying restitution to the hospital in the amount of $10,977.91. Formal sentencing is set for Sept. 25.

–Chapelle Monte Paige, 21, of the 5200 block of Orcutt Lane, Richmond, returned to court on a felony first offender violation. Paige entered the program as part of deferred disposition on May 31, 2016 for a drug violation. However, the defendant picked up charges in Chesterfield less than two weeks later, triggering the violation and bringing his pending offenses back to court.

Paige received a six-month sentence on the felony first offender violation conviction. All five years on the possession of cocaine as well as a 30-day sentence for misdemeanor possession of marijuana were suspended.

–Kasey Zahn, 20, of 6 Rodes Avenue, Sandston, entered a guilty plea to one amended count of misdemeanor possession of marijuana with intent to distribute as part of a plea deal. One charge of felony child abuse was dropped. In a summary of evidence, Zahn was a passenger in a vehicle when an officer attempted to pull over the car that was being driven by a co-defendant. Zahn admitted that the substance was in the vehicle after the stop.

Under the plea agreement, she will serve 10 days of a 12-month jail sentence.