An Ansonia man accused last year of robbing a boy who had just illegally sold him a handgun will be sentenced to at least two years behind bars after pleading guilty in the case Tuesday (April 21).
Jacob Freeman, 19, pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine to charges of first-degree robbery and theft of a firearm before Judge Frank Iannotti at Superior Court in Milford.
Under Alford, a defendant does not admit all of the allegations he or she is charged with, but concedes that a conviction is likely if the case went to trial.
Police became involved in the case April 11, 2014, when an Ansonia man reported a 9 mm handgun stolen.
Assistant State’s Attorney Cornelius Kelly said in court Tuesday that police eventually determined the gun owner’s son had stolen the gun in order to sell it to Freeman.
The exchange took place April 2 in a car on North State Street, Kelly said.
The deal — the gun in exchange for $375 and an eighth of an ounce of marijuana.
But as soon as the boy stashed the cash in his sock, Freeman, who was driving the vehicle, stopped it, turned to the boy, and told him “You’re f — — - beat,” Kelly said, telling him to give the cash and weed back.
The boy complied, then got out of the car and ran away.
Police eventually determined the boy was having substance abuse problems and told cops he stole the gun to get money to feed himself.
Cops served a search warrant on Freeman’s Lester Street home, but never found the gun, Kelly said.
Freeman has been held on $150,000 bond in the case since his arrest last April.
Judge Iannotti continued the case until June 30 for sentencing, at which point Freeman will face between 2 and 30 years in prison.
Freeman’s lawyer, Rob Serafinowicz, said he hopes to convince the judge to give his client the minimum jail time.
“He’s a young man, it’s difficult to deal with these situations and people want to put it behind them to get on with their lives,” Serafinowicz said. “That’s what this plea represents.”
