Leo Jefferson

The third defendant in a home invasion burglary and kidnap case dating back to the spring of last year received a 20-year sentence in circuit court on August 23.

Leo Jefferson III, 18, will get 377 days credit for time he was confined to a juvenile prison and then at county jail since he was certified at age 17 to be charged as an adult with kidnapping, burglary with battery and grand theft.

Judge Phyllis Rosier ordered him to serve a 15-year probation term upon release as part of his no contest plea agreement, the first year on community control.

Mr. Jefferson, of Macclenny, was one of three persons arrested after a daylight burglary at the home of Jerry Carter on CR 125 north of Glen St. Mary on March 3, 2010 during which several televisions, a play station and other property valued at about $4500 were taken.

The defendant and Joshua Plummer, 18, at the time and also from Macclenny, entered the residence via the garage door, using an entry code the latter obtained during an earlier visit.

While inside gathering up property they intended to later sell, the two came upon Kameron Carter, then 18, sleeping in a bedroom. They barricaded him in a nearby closet.

Mr. Plummer entered a plea agreement earlier this year and drew a similar sentence. His girlfriend Laresa Paige of Macclenny, who was stationed near the residence in a vehicle and picked up the others, is now on a two-year house arrest and will be on probation three years after that.

James Tabbot

In another case, James Tabbot, 24, of Middleburg will be in county jail for the remainder of a one-year sentence for his role in the theft and vandalism of 17 air conditioning units at the former Macclenny Products nearly a year ago.

Judge Rosier ordered him to pay $126,051 restitution to the building’s owner.

Mr. Tabbot will be on probation four years following release after pleading to burglary and grand theft of $100,000 or more. Two co-defendants are due in court next month.

Court records indicate Mr. Tabbot, along with Thomas and Michael Sharp, sold aluminum and copper taken from 11 large roof-top units and six smaller ones at the former clothing manufacturing plant. They sold the scrap at two locations in west Jacksonville and a third in Lake City.

Mr. Tabbot’s prior criminal record includes arrests for grant theft, drug possession, dealing in stolen property and attempted burglary.

The Macclenny Products heist was the largest in terms of units destroyed and parts stolen in what has become a common crime in Baker County. Most of the cases involve single units from unoccupied houses or churches.

Sheriff’s investigators got a break in the case when a former cell mate of one of the defendants revealed that he boasted of the thefts while in the Duval County jail.

• Ramona Robertson pleaded no contest to fraud and forgery obtaining prescription drugs and will be on house arrest two years. She also violated probation and was given the 97 days she has already been in jail.

• Judge Rosier re-imposed sentences on a number of other defendants  who admitted to violating probation: Clarence Williams for battery, 30 days in jail; Mark Yarbrough for drug possession, driving on a suspended license and aggravated fleeing police, a year in jail; Christopher Dennis for grand theft, a year on drug offender probation; Anntricia Ansley for felony fleeing, a year in jail; Tavaris Donaldson for battery and criminal mischief, 10 months in jail; Gregory Tyrone Lee for grand theft, 11 months in jail; Caleb Linton for sale and possession of drugs, 218 days already served in jail; Adam Ostasz for burglary, 30 days in jail and two years on house arrest.