PHILIPSBURG--A member of the notorious Scary Movie gang that wreaked havoc in 2005 in robbing a number of casinos, jewellery stores and other businesses on the island, stood trial Wednesday on a number of thefts with violence charges.
R.A.R. (28) was sentenced in 2005 to five years and four months for his part in these robberies. He was released in March 2009.
On Wednesday, he stood trial for allegedly having taken part in raids on security guards at Ruby Labega School and St. Dominic High School, an attack on staff at Shell gas station on L.B. Scott Road, burglary at the same gas station, and a robbery at a nearby Chinese restaurant. All of these crimes were committed in November 2009.
Prosecutor Rienk Mud asked for seven years for these crimes, but R.A.R. tried to convince the court that he had only played a minor role in these crimes. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, however, R.A.R. had been the planner of these crimes, which were carried out by three minors, who were also tried on Wednesday in closed-door sessions.
R.A.R. admitted that he had helped the youngsters of 15-, 16- and 17-years-old gain entrance to the schools by breaking the doors, but denied he had taken part in overpowering and binding security guards that were on the premises, and in stealing various items and money.
He said he was supposed to have been on the lookout when his accomplices attacked two employees of the Shell gas station, in which a woman was robbed of her purse. But he claimed he had gone inside a video store across the street instead.
According to the Prosecutor, R.A.R. had been planning the crimes, but he remained in the shadows when the crimes were actually committed, leaving the dirty work to his much younger accomplices. Mud, however, dropped the charge that R.A.R. had also been involved in the robbery of the Chinese restaurant.
Attorney-at-law Geert Hatzmann cited psychological reasons for a lesser sentence, but his request for an expert’s report on his client’s state of mind was turned down by Judge Monique Keppels. This did not deter the lawyer from playing the card of lesser accountability in his effort to obtain a milder sentence for his client. It will not become clear if he has been successful or not until February 24, when the judge will present her decision on the matter.
