This article has been updated since its publication Friday, Aug. 21, to correct the name in the first case to Sherwood Thomas Bailey Sr.
By Nancy Drury Duncan
A plea agreement was reached with Sherwood Thomas Bailey Sr., address unknown. Bailey agreed to plead guilty to a January 2018 charge of distribution of cocaine. In exchange, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney William Fox amended the language of the original charge of third or subsequent conviction.
Bailey was unintentionally caught up in a controlled drug buy made by the Eastern Shore Drug Task Force, said defense attorney Tucker Watson. “The operation was not targeting Mr. Bailey. It was another person,” he said. He said his client was a drug user.
Judge W. Revell Lewis III accepted the plea agreement, saying, “You have addiction issues and got caught up in a transaction you were not really a part of.” Watson said his client had been in no trouble since his 2018 arrest and was 100% cooperative. “He lives with his brother who is disabled and has worked for decades as a farmhand.” He asked that Bailey be permitted to remain free on bond. “The last time he was in this court was 2001,” said Watson. The judge granted that request and set his sentencing for Oct. 15.
Stanley Avon Ames, 63, of Painter, ran into a parked car while parking at Walmart in May of this year. Ames then went inside the store and left without paying for $25 worth of merchandise. When Ames was picked up later and questioned, he said he did not remember the incident. However, he was clearly seen on the store’s surveillance cameras. “He ran into a vehicle while parking,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Wolfe. She presented the court with copies of Ames’ three previous shoplifting convictions, which made this one a felony. Wolfe entered into a plea agreement to dismiss a charge of habitual offender in exchange for his guilty plea to felony shoplifting and misdemeanor hit-and-run. Judge Lewis ordered that a presentence investigation report be prepared and set his sentencing for Oct. 29.
Thirty-year-old Dontrelle Marquis Walker, of Painter, will serve two years and 30 days of a longer sentence for felony eluding and possession of cocaine. He pleaded guilty to the charges in July of this year. “In recent years, his court appearances have diminished,” said defense attorney Carl Bundick. “He wants to return home to his family.” He said Walker is facing new charges in Northampton County along with a probation violation. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Wolfe agreed there have been no recent felony convictions but “numerous driving offenses.” Before sentencing Walker, Judge Lewis said, “Between August of 2010 and January of 2019, you have been sentenced to jail ten different times.” He sentenced him to two years and 30 days for possession of cocaine and suspended all but 30 days. He sentenced him to four years for felony eluding and suspended all but two years.
Cadeem Bresean Baines, 25, of New Church, was released on time served after a May 2020 conviction of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, and assault and battery. Baines has been in jail for three and a half months since his bond was revoked, said defense attorney Carl Bundick. “The mother of his children needs assistance with their three children.” He asked that Baines be released on time served. “He has a not insignificant criminal history,” responded Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan, noting convictions for sexual battery, petty larceny, drug offenses, and the assault and battery of a family member. He said Baines should receive a “substantial term of probation.” He said Baines’ bond was revoked because the probation office was unable to contact him or any member of his family using the telephone numbers he provided. “You told your lawyer they had the wrong numbers,” said Judge Lewis. “You did not write the correct numbers down. The court revoked your bond because none of the numbers you wrote down were valid. You knew they would try to contact you. When you ignore problems, they usually get worse.” He sentenced Baines to three years for unauthorized use, 12 months for assault and battery of a family member, and six months for disorderly contact and suspended all that time. He ordered him to be on indefinite supervised probation and to be on good behavior for 10 years.
A man described as “very polite and nice who just cannot stop taking things” will spend two years and six months in jail for felony shoplifting, driving after being declared a habitual offender, and violation of his probation. In April 2019, Demetchius R. Justice, 48, of Parksley, went into Island Foods on Chincoteague and took two packages of steaks valued at $50 and left without paying for them. A police officer identified Justice from the store’s surveillance video. In October 2019, Justice was seen on New Church Royal Farms’ surveillance video taking a 16-ounce beer and putting it in the front pocket of his sweatshirt. He has had numerous shoplifting convictions and probation violations over the years as well as driving offenses after being declared a habitual offender. Defense attorney Garrett Dunham told the court his client faced 17 years of suspended time from earlier convictions.
