New Kent teenager receives four-month jail term for petty larceny

A New Kent teenager will spend four months in jail after accepting a plea deal during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court.

Mitchell Payne Morse III, 18, of the 7700 block of Poindexter Road, entered no contest pleas to two amended charges of misdemeanor petty larceny (originally forgery/uttering) as part of a plea agreement. No contest pleas stipulate that evidence presented in the trial would be enough to convict the defendant of the offenses.

In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick, on Jan. 24, Morse went to two different C&F Banks in New Kent and cashed checks of $993.19 and $993.85, respectively. The defendant was identified as the suspect and admitted to the crime. Morse has repaid back the money from the checks, resulting in the reduction of his charges to misdemeanors.

Morse received a 12-month sentence with eight months suspended (four months to serve) on the first count of petty larceny. All 12 months on the second count were suspended.

In an unrelated case, a Fredericksburg man was found guilty of illegally possessing a Schedule I/II substance.

Matthew Shane Perkins, 27, of the 11700 block of Enchanted Woods, entered an Alford Plea of Guilt to the lone count. An Alford Plea of Guilt means while the defendant maintains his innocence, evidence in the case presented would be enough to convict him of the crime.

In a summary of evidence, on July 6, 2019, a New Kent deputy pulled over a vehicle on Pocahontas Trail after observing it swerve on the road. The officer noticed the driver was nervous and asked if he could search the vehicle. Consent was granted and Perkins, one of the passengers, stepped out of the vehicle.

After the discovery of a white powdery substance, the officer questioned the driver and Perkins about the substance. Perkins said that the item was not his, but he did have a syringe in his pocket. After taking the syringe into evidence, it was discovered that it consisted of methamphetamine.

Perkins received a three-year jail term with all time suspended. However, he will remain on probation over that time frame.