Crime

State judge wavers on jailing ‘youthful offender,’ so feds charge him with armed robbery

State lacks suitable holding facility for 18-year-old, VT Judge Alison Arms says

by Mike Donoghue, republished in part from today’s Caledonian-Record

BURLINGTON — An 18-year-old man suspected in the gunpoint armed robbery of a woman in Richmond and for possessing four kinds of controlled substances has at least 15 contacts with law enforcement as a minor, according to a federal prosecutor.

Federal authorities are prosecuting Tashawn R. Ware of Brooklyn, N.Y. after a state judge expressed concern that Vermont does not have a suitable prison to hold the young man for the armed robbery because he is considered by some to be a juvenile, records show.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman said in U.S. District Court that Ware needs to be detained both as a risk to flee and a danger to the community. Ware is named in the gun and drug criminal complaint filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Firearms. Read more here

Categories: Crime

27 replies »

  1. There is often talk of human rights, but it is also necessary to talk of the rights of humanity. Why should some people walk barefoot, so that others can travel in luxurious cars? Why should some live for thirty-five years, so that others can live for seventy years? Why should some be miserably poor, so that others can be hugely rich? I speak on behalf of the children in the world who do not have a piece of bread. I speak on the behalf of the sick who have no medicine, of those whose rights to life and human dignity have been denied.

    • How about instead you begin to speak of personal responsibility, accountability, and choices? Why not speak of God-given free will and the Bible’s dictates to follow a government’s rule of law? Insofar as the rights of humanity, why don’t you speak of people’s inherent rights to live peaceably and safely, free from molestation by those with malicious intent to do bodily harm or death to innocents? And as a citizen of the USA, how about you speak of the fact that as a sovereign nation, the USA has historically been the greatest benefactor to low-income nations in the world yet cannot alone fiscally support or ethically control/govern other foreign countries. And why do you not speak of the deep-rooted corruption and obviously irradicably tyrannous governments all around the world that imprison, dictate, oppress torture, and murder the very inhabitants which they are duty-bound to protect and serve? As do most leftists, you appear to have an exceptionally insular and myopic view of the world, perchance through the lens of a biased media which routinely omits facts and lies about the others.

    • You should ask Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, or Becca Ballint these questions and then let us know the reply you receive. You should ask how politicians earn 10x the average citizen when their public salary says they should be middle income tax bracket. Your questions show a struggle for the obvious, the system is rigged. Empty platitudes and endless failed policies, yet the same people remain in the same seats for decades.

      • Politicians are often awarded $$$$$$ for voting a certain way, exacting contracts and ‘looking the other way’

  2. How many more times must this person “have contacts with law enforcement” before he is put in prison where he belongs? Isn’t 15 enough?

    • By the way, why doesn’t this politically appointee Judge Alison Arms house him with HER in HER home? I’m betting Alison – that you could take on many more of these “victims” that you so admire if you utilize lots of cots and bunk beds.

  3. So, basically a juvenile can commit a serious crime and not be held because Vermont has no where to hold him? This young thug would disappear into the woodwork never to be seen again until he commits his next offense. Perhaps next time his victim will not be lucky enough to live through the armed robbery. And lets not forget the victims of the drugs he is so obviously bringing to Vermont….both the armed robbery and drug possession should allow him to be treated as an adult and housed as such or the state of Vermont better get off it’s butt and find/provide a facility to house thugs such as this young man. (Maybe all the money for the fat raises the legislature just gave itself can be used for a juvenile facility instead) Why should the public be endangered by youthful offenders just because Vermont is negligent in providing a lockup? Why can’t a section of an existing prison can be adapted for them? Maybe while held there, they can get a glimpse of their future. And to respond to billfromwhiteplains – How about my human right to live my life without some drug dealing thug sticking a gun in my face to steal what I have worked hard to earn? Don’t preach to me about his human dignity while he terrorizes and poisons our state. A big thank you to the Feds for stepping in and shame on the “wavering” judge.

    • Everything you said and more. As the judge sees this thug as a minor, he is committing adult crimes with an illegal gun. The worst part of this liberal judge’s mindset is that if we have to defend ourselves as law abiding citizens from this savage and harm or kill him, we will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. How long are we going to put up with these savages selling poison, shooting people and killing our children? As long as the useful idiots in this state continue voting for progressive/democrats, Vermont will join the other liberal run dystopian jungles where crime and the degradation of morals have turned life into a living hell. Blame the voters for this judge and the reason why crime is on the rise here in our backyard.

  4. There should be no effort or taxpayer money wasted in the Vermont court system on this ADULT. Federal gun laws can put him away for 10 years for the gun and drug charges. Just do it and let the bleeding heart liberals cry their eyes out about “root causes” and “rough upbringing”.

    • Well, it’s funny you should prophesize such, as there’s a bleeding-heart liberal named Bill from White Plains, NY already crying his eyes out on here! It’s traumatizing to them when the rule of law is carried through.

      • …especially so when the rule of law is carried out on a “protected class” of individual. They piss and moan about how we must put an end to the overdose deaths yet they obsess about the evils of incarcerating our young, Black men and they leave the borders wide open to fentanyl smuggling…

    • I sense it isn’t. I sense Billfromwhiteplains is a tree-huggin’ Birkenstock wearin’ ol’ hippie that hasn’t a clue as to why White Plains feels just like one of those countries that President Trump once described:….A “bleep” hole.

  5. 18 is legal age to vote, 18 is legal age to serve in Armed Forces, 18 is the age a suspected criminal should be held and tried in court as an adult

  6. On what planet should this man be treated as a child? Once again, the Feds step in and save us from Progressive self-serving insanity of Sarah George.

  7. Don’t blame the judge—it’s the legislature that decreed that an 18 year old is a juvenile. And it’s the legislature that can’t find the money or the will to build sufficient “storage space” for the hopeless dregs of society. But they congratulate themselves with a huge pay increase! It’s only been nine years since I’ve been there, but boy, how that place has changed!

    • The judge and other judges have an obligation to speak out to defend the citizens. Maybe we should start electing judges to get a balance in the justice system. I not only blame the judge, I blame you and the rest of the weak republicans that have refused to step up for the state and it’s people. I also blame the voters for checking off names on the ballot just because they have a D or P behind the candidate. The state is a mess, where are the republicans, hiding under their beds. This is a fight for the civility of our state so people can live freely without being attacked by a savage that the courts will not properly deal with.

  8. The same legislature that gave approval for 16 year olds to vote in Brattleboro say he’s not “old enough” to be charged and held as an adult?

  9. An 18 year old is an adult. Furthermore there are means and steps to incarcerate a juvenile in an adult jail if there are no other suitable alternatives. They just have to be segregated from the general population. It just takes an additional piece of paperwork to the correctional facility to accomplish this incarceration with the justification for him to be held. Perhaps a certain states attorney is not familiar with that situation.

  10. Is there a room in the Judge’s home that could be spared, or is it one of these…not in my neighborhood judges.

  11. “An 18-year-old man suspected in the gunpoint armed robbery of a woman in Richmond and for possessing four kinds of controlled substances has at least 15 contacts with law enforcement as a minor, according to a federal prosecutor.” That says it all, what’s to hesitate about? He’s ready for the big house, and a nice long stay. Does anyone seriously think a diversion program will have impact on him?

  12. In the past year, the number of violent offenders and violent episodes in Vermont appear to be mostly perpetrated by residents of NY, MA, or CT. Our neighboring states with similar political representation and simliar failed policies. The State of Vermont takes the position that State social workers, NGO’s, and non-profits will support and talk it out with these misfortunate ones who run drugs, guns, and people throughout the State. The Feds do have jurisdiction to address crimes spanning across state lines. The States have a duty and mandate of public safety within their borders. Yet, as we see, they do anything but protect communities. The reason is likely the crimes committed and unpunished ensures they receive a cut from the proceeds for the next election cycle or personal gain.

  13. How did he get the gun. Did he go thru the Universal Background Check as required by law?

    • No and he didn’t have to wait three days to pick up his gun that he surely bought illegally. I’m sure he’s all about safe storage at home too, wherever that is. Remember the movie, the field of dreams? “Build it and they will come”. The same applies to soft on crime and welfare benefits. The word is out that Vermont is the best place to commit a crime because you will be out of jail quickly after they slap their hand. And the homeless crowd also knows that Vermont will bend over backwards to give you money and an EBT card for your leisurely spending habits. Add in some section 8 housing and you are a new Vermont dependent. Your benefits will not expire. The bleeding hearts are bleeding the state taxpayers for those who refuse to better themselves.

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