PHILIPSBURG--Gerards Richards (28) was sentenced on Thursday to four months suspended, on two years’ probation, and 120 hours community service for making a lot of trouble at Jump-Up Casino on August 1.
In following the Prosecutor’s demand, the Judge in the Court of First Instance found Richards, who was not present at the hearing, guilty as charged.
Richards caused the police a lot of problems after security personnel had thrown him out because he had been harassing visitors inside the casino.
He was also aggressive towards police officers and violently resisted a search and his arrest. Possibly under the influence of alcoholic beverages, he kicked an officer in his chest. A Stanley knife found in his possession was confiscated.
The Prosecutor said he found possession of a knife, mistreatment of a civil servant, resisting arrest and non-compliance with an official order proven.
He said the defendant had behaved himself “very annoyingly” towards aid workers and prevented them from performing their duties.
The Prosecutor said the suspect also had to be removed from El Capitan brothel during a similar incident on October 5.
“It concerns a very angry man who does not care much about what the police do and say,” the Prosecutor said.
The defendant’s two-page criminal record is testimony to his lack of respect for public order, according to the Prosecution.
The defendant will have to appear before a Judge once again on December 12 for a different crime.
