In May of 2007, thieves stole a safe with $42,000 inside from the Hugh Parkey Dive Connection on North Front Street. Police said that the mastermind behind the break in was Ernest Gladden, 34, a resident of a Rhaburn’s Alley address. Police searched his home and found, a safe hinge, a mall, a hammer, a crowbar and a wheel spanner. They later found Gladden driving north with two other men. He was loaded carrying almost three-thousand dollars in U.S. currency with another US$800 stashed in the car. He was charged with burglary and damage to property, and a second suspect, Carlos Castro, 25, was also charged.
In court today, their trial was heard in front of Magistrate Roberto Ordonez in court #3. Gladden who was never caught red handed leaving the premises chose not to waste the court ‘s time and pleaded guilty immediately to the two charges. Magistrate Ordonez sentenced him to 5 years for the burglary and 1 year for the damage to property. But his alleged accomplice, Castro felt that he was wrongly accused because he claimed he was just riding his bicycle on North Front Street when Gladden gave him some money. But before the police prosecutor called a second witness to testify, he changed his plea to guilty for handling stolen goods. Because Castro is a first time offender, Magistrate Ordonez imposed a non-custodial sentence upon him, ordering him to pay a fine of two thousand dollars.
