Molino Park Burglary Suspects Appear In Court

December 12, 2013

The two adult suspects in the burglary and vandalism of Molino Park Elementary School were in court Wednesday. During the August 9 burglary, over $60,000 in property was stolen, and the school sustained another $7,000 in damages.  Most of the stolen items  — including computers and iPads– were burned by the suspects.

Tatanya Zahna Blackmon, a 19-year old female from the 2400 block of North Highway 29 in Cantonment, and Rodriques Ricardo Young, a 19-year old male from the 1300 block of Barth Road in Molino appeared before Judge Gary Bergosh Wednesday morning for what was due to be a docket hearing prior to jury trials later this month.

Both had their trials delayed until mid-February – Blackmon at the request of the defense and Young at the request of prosecutors.  Both have pleaded not guilty.

Blackmon and Young are charged with grand theft, larceny, criminal mischief with property damage, destroying evidence and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Both remain in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $90,000.

Three juveniles are also awaiting trial for the incident. Tracy Deshawn Lett, 14, Jacob Lett, 11, and Vashawn Lamond Brown, 13, were charged with grand theft, larceny and criminal mischief. The suspects were identified by Sheriff’s investigators with the assistance and cooperation of the Escambia County School District.

Thousands of dollars worth of electronics were stolen from throughout the school, including Apple computers, iPads, Wii gaming systems, cameras used by the school’s student-operated closed circuit TV station, along with other items. Portions of the school were also  vandalized during the break-in. Ceiling tiles were damaged or destroyed throughout the campus, and holes were punched in walls. A vending machine was also toppled and burglarized.

Pictured below:  Three Apple computers were stolen from this desk in a computer lab. Pictured below: Surveillance video shows two people running through the school at 9:17 p.m. on August 9. Pictured inset: An overturned and burglarized vending machine in the school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

22 Responses to “Molino Park Burglary Suspects Appear In Court”

  1. paul on December 16th, 2013 9:50 am

    David….you are giving way more credit than is deserved. crime only for the fun of it? please. people steal things so they do not have to go through the work of earning it. they destroyed a lot of evidence here to avoid prosecution, but keep in mind that they stole ipads. not something insignificant for the fun of it. an expensive toy. and as for starving? the state is not going to let that happen. we pay taxes for that. good try though, defending the perps seems to be the way we are going in this country. sorry for grammar or punctuation- am on mobile

  2. David Huie Green on December 14th, 2013 3:09 pm

    REGARDING:
    “These kind of people.dread work more than sitting in jail anyway.”

    Some are hard workers. They just like to commit other crimes for the fun of it, like I said, few commit crimes to avoid starvation. They do it because their values are different.

    David for mental modification
    (of others, never myself)

  3. perdido fisherman on December 13th, 2013 8:49 pm

    What would that be Bin? All i see is 5 thieves who have the same chances and opportunities everyone else has in life. They made a choice and now must pay the price.

  4. paul on December 13th, 2013 11:42 am

    David, they do not need an income while in jail or prison. They do not deserve an income. We have let our jails and prisons become way too easy on criminals. Make them perform intense, physical labor until their debt is paid. They can worry about an income when they get out. I’m not for cruel or unusual punishment but maybe the chain gangs need to be brought back. Make them work. These kind of people.dread work more than sitting in jail anyway.

  5. David Huie Green on December 13th, 2013 9:29 am

    bin,
    Nope.

    Even if they WERE mistreated, that does not justify hurting those who did them no wrong.

  6. Neighbor on December 13th, 2013 8:49 am

    Parents should be held accountable for the actions of their minor children…..if they would have known where there children were this could have had a different outcome. Not only should the two adults be charged , but the parents of the minor children should be charged also! They should have to make restitution equally…..once again fine parents , for NOT being parents to the children they bring in this world…..the community should not be punished because these children are allowed to roam the streets all hours of the day and night…..STEALING!!!!!

  7. Joe Bagofdoughnuts on December 13th, 2013 7:24 am

    I vote that they all should get a full scholarship at the License Plate Academy.

  8. bin on December 13th, 2013 3:45 am

    all are victams, not perps. built up rage for something that was robbed from them them. it’s right there.

  9. Dr. Kevin R. Linam on December 12th, 2013 8:21 pm

    “Thou shall not steal, a commandment not an old fashioned idea”!!!! Sorry I didnt proof read my comment!!! :)

  10. David Huie Green on December 12th, 2013 6:09 pm

    CONTEMPLATING:
    “Parenting includes taking responsibility for the actions of minor children, put the parents in jail and require restitution of every cent, if it takes the rest of their lives!!”

    Tempting but unlikely to succeed financially.

    The cost of keeping them in jail would run up their debt and they would have no source of income while in jail even to pay off the initial debt.

    (This is another reason it is foolish to refer to time in jail or prison as “paying your debt to society”. The only thing society gains from incarcerating criminals is that they are unable to prey on society as they did when they were running around freely. Their debt actually grows greater the longer they remain incarcerated. But you can’t justify charging them for what you require them to do because they don’t really want to be incarcerated, no matter how much they act like they do.)

    Further, if you’re talking about two adults and three minors, you have the problem of assigning portion of blame to each one. The parents of the minors aren’t responsible for damage done by other adults. Further, if the parents of the minors have abandoned them or left them in the custody of say a grandparent, it will be especially difficult getting anyone to think a retiree who can barely get around should or could pay off the debt.

    Place a surcharge on their income taxes for the rest of their lives or until the debt has been paid with interest, and you might be onto the start of a solution.

    David for raising taxes
    on OTHER people, not me

  11. Molino Resident on December 12th, 2013 5:50 pm

    I have family members who attend Molino Park. I think it is a disgrace to the community when people do things like this. There has been many burglaries in the Molino area, but for someone to steal from a school its just foul and low down. When are people going to learn that stealing is not the answer. Where were these kid’s parents during the time they were stealing from the school. These people should locked up until they are old enough to pay off all of the equipment they destroyed.

  12. randy on December 12th, 2013 3:43 pm

    maybe the nice judge will let them go to …

  13. Atmore G on December 12th, 2013 3:19 pm

    I agree with David, and I would bet that none of these kids is taking or has taken advantage of any type education offered to them.. Now they steal these computers from a school that is trying to educate those who want to be educated.. On and on it goes.. Ignorance is a larger burden to society than we can imagine..

  14. Dr. Kevin R. Linam on December 12th, 2013 2:15 pm

    Parenting includes taking responsibility for the actions of minor children, put the parents in jail and require restitution of every cent, if it takes the rest of their lives!!
    No accountability in our country from the top down!!! Moral bankrupcy-Thall shall not steal, a commandment not an old fashioned idea!!!!

  15. David Huie Green on December 12th, 2013 1:59 pm

    Kids who cut up in class and interfer with education also rob the studemts who actually wamt to learn amd thereby also rob the taxpayers who are paying the bill.

    David for ending all kinds of theft

  16. Outraged on December 12th, 2013 12:28 pm

    Why are these defendants pleading not guilty when they are identified on tape? It’s a waste of taxpayer money – money that should be put to use replacing that equipment these thugs stole and destroyed!

  17. RB on December 12th, 2013 10:37 am

    Guess they’re off the Principles List now…sad..!

  18. Woohooo on December 12th, 2013 9:39 am

    I hope they get what try deserve!

  19. Billy D on December 12th, 2013 9:03 am

    too bad they didn’t think enough of education to allow other kids who WANT to learn get one. Burned the equipment they pilfered? Wow, made a big profit from that huh? Hopefully the juveniles will learn and improve from this but it’s doubtful. As for the adults who led them on…..I hope Bergosh thinks really hard about some severe punishment but it’s unlike him to do so. Slap on the wrist, a little speech and then his history says that he’ll continue to bail them out even after they get in trouble again.

  20. Not too young on December 12th, 2013 7:29 am

    I do hope these three “juveniles” are also being kept occupied by Escambia County. Since they chose to be given an education of stealing and a life of crime, they also should be taught the consequence of that choice.

  21. Matt on December 12th, 2013 7:20 am

    So, they steal all of that stuff and burn it? I vote we toss these dumpster divers in the same fire and the world will be a better place.

  22. tg on December 12th, 2013 7:12 am

    Somehow this has to stop.They are robbing the good kids that want to learn.Maybe faster response to school alarms and stiffer punishment.