Former Charles City man receives three-year prison sentence on attempted arson conviction

A former Charles City man will serve three years in jail after receiving formal sentencing on an attempted arson and felony obstruction of justice charge Friday morning in Charles City Circuit Court.

Brent Edward Tanner, 47, formerly of the 18000 block of The Glebe Lane, learned his punishment as the result of an Aug. 3 contested trial. During that trial, evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler show that the defendant had gotten into an argument with Sandra Dickerson. Tanner threw gasoline on the home and was close to light it before being tackled by Timothy English. After the defendant’s arrest, Tanner called Dickerson and threatened her of consequences she would face if she appeared in court to testify against him.

Tanner received a five-year sentence on the attempted arson conviction with two years suspended (three years to serve). All five years on the felony obstruction of justice charge were suspended.

In other circuit court procedures:

–Derek Christopher Baber, 48, of the 8000 block of Wynborok Lane, Mechanicsville, received formal sentencing on one count of extortion and misdemeanor disseminating images of another person. On Aug. 3, Baber entered guilty pleas to the two charges, admitting he posted pictures and information of a victim on Craig’s List, resulting in the victim being stalked and followed by other people.

Baber received a five-year sentence with all but eight months suspended on the extortion charge. All 12 months on the disseminating images conviction were suspended.

–David Alexander Booth, 35, of the 500 block of North 8th Avenue, Hopewell, entered into a plea agreement and entered guilty pleas to one count of burglary and grand larceny.

In a summary of evidence, on Mar. 25, Booth broke into the former home of Donna Robinson, who was in the process of moving. After being notified by her neighbor, Robinson returned to the residence and discovered that items had been taken, with a majority of it being jewelry. Deputies were able to find Booth and later arrested him for the offenses.

A presentence report is being prepared for formal sentencing. Booth’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 7, with the plea agreement capping his sentence time at a maximum of four years, five months to serve.

–Tevin Lamar Brown, 23, of the 14000 block of The Glebe Lane, Charles City, entered into a plea deal, pleading guilty to one charge each of credit card fraud, credit card larceny, misdemeanor failing to pay for services, and an amended charge of misdemeanor failing to appear (originally felony failure to appear).

In a summary of evidence, on Nov. 4, 2017, a man left his wallet on the counter of Haupt’s Store. When the man returned, he noticed it was missing. Surveillance video from the store showed Brown picking up the wallet and using it to buy lottery tickets. On Dec. 6, 2017, Brown hopped out a cab before it arrived at his home and did not pay the driver. On May 25 of this year, Brown failed to show up for his scheduled trial for the aforementioned charges.

Under the plea deal, Brown received a five-year sentence with four years, five months suspended on the credit card larceny conviction (seven months to serve) and a mandatory 10-day sentence on the misdemeanor failure to appear charge. All five years on the credit card fraud and 12 months on the failing to pay for services charge were suspended. He must also pay $327 in restitution.

–Elliott McKinley Charity, 56, of the 12000 block of Mapisco Road, Charles City, entered a guilty plea to a single charge of possession of cocaine as part of a plea agreement.

In a summary of evidence, Charity called police and told him that he was assaulted. When deputies arrive, Charity tossed an item out of his pocket, later to be determined as a smoking device that contained cocaine in it. He was subsequently arrested on the possession charge.

Under the plea deal, Charity received a three-year jail sentence with all but one month suspended.

–Judith Christian Garrett, 49, of 3 Greenleight Court, Williamsburg, agreed to terms of a plea deal and entered a guilty plea to DUI (third offense within 5-10 years). One charge of refusing to take a breathalyzer test and driving revoked were dropped as part of the agreement.

In a summary of evidence, on Jan. 28, a Charles City deputy responded to an accident at the intersection of Route 5 (John Tyler Memorial Highway) and Route 106 (Roxbury Road). Upon an investigation, a reconstruction of the accident revealed the driver of the car, later identified as Garrett, mistook the bike path as a road and ended up crashing into a ditch. When the deputy arrived, the defendant was still behind the wheel and the odor of alcohol was detected. A blood test revealed that Garrett’s BAC was .17, more than twice the legal limit. A subsequent background check revealed that she had committed similar offenses.

Under the agreement, Garrett received a three-year sentence with all but six months suspended. She must pay a $1,000 fine and pay $50 to the Trauma Center.

–India Alexis Wynn, 23, of the 8900 block of Shewsbury Drive, Charles City, was formally sentenced on a lone charge of grand larceny. On Oct. 6, 2017, Wynn entered into a plea deal where she admitted to stealing tools from a camper. The defendant, however, failed to fulfill the terms of the plea agreement that would have reduced her charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Wynn received a 10-year sentence with all time suspended. However, she was placed on supervised probation and must pay restitution for the items she stole.