A man involved in commercial burglaries in Batavia is already serving four-and-two-thirds to 14 years in state prison based on a similar conviction in Wyoming County, and in Genesee County Court today, he was given an identical sentence by Judge Robert C. Noonan.
The four-and-two-thirds to 14 years imposed by Noonan will be served, according to state sentencing guidelines, concurrent to the Wyoming County sentence, which was imposed a month ago.
Noonan was prepared to tack on a couple more years to the sentence of Michael A. Ames, 19, of 508 Dale Road, Dale, but couldn't do it, so he gave him the maximum term available to be served while Ames serves his Wyoming County sentence.
Ames was arrested in September after a video posted on The Batavian helped lead investigators to Ames and Trevor M. Pilc, 18, of 404 Jackson St., Batavia, as suspects.
The duo was accused of breaking into several area businesses.
For Ames, according to his attorney William Harper, the crime spree represented just four months out of his life and was driven mainly by a recent drug addiction.
Harper argued for the minimum sentence available citing a troubled childhood for Ames, which included being reported as a neglected child five times, foster homes and a serious learning disability.
So basically he is not being
So basically he is not being punished at all for the burglaries in Genesee County? That's just wrong.
All sorts of people have a troubled childhood, that doesn't give you a right to basically tell someone that the things they earned are yours for no other reason then you want them.
Justice has not been served.
Peter, the system will take
Peter, the system will take care of this perceived inequity. If he were only serving the Wyoming sentence, 4 2/3 to 14 years, he would probably be paroled in 5 years. With this second, identical sentence, don't be surprised if he's in prison for the next 10 years, serving the minimum 4 2/3 back to back.