pair of convictions were handed down by juries

Tuesday in two separate criminal trials in

Fayette County Superior Court.

Robert

Michael Gonsalves was convicted of entering an

auto with intent to commit theft and acquitted of

posession of marijuana. He was sentenced to five

years in prison.

Richard

Louis Trammell received consecutive 10-year

sentences, with 18 years to serve, for two counts

of forgery in the first degree and driving while

his license was suspended.

Gonsalves

was arrested Mar. 20. Prosecutors said that he

stole a purse which was seen in his possession by

witnesses just after the incident and found in

the same place where he was the next day.

The

defense raised the question that no fingerprints

were found in the car Gonsalves allegedly broke

into. Prosecutors responded that even the car

owner's fingerprints were not found there.

Prosecutors

also pounded at Gonsalves' alibi, saying that two

people he claimed to have been in contact with

were "phantom people."

In

Trammell's trial, a man testified that the

defendant paid him with money orders for some

yard equipment he was purchasing in Tyrone. The

man acknowledged that he thought it suspicious,

since the money orders were for approximately

$3,000 and $5,000.

An

employee of a convenience store in Jonesboro

testified that Trammell bought a money order from

him for only $1.50, which he found strange

because the fee for each purchase was 99 cents.

Prosecutors

said that Trammell bought two money orders and

forged them to purchase the equipment. They

showed the jury videotape taken from the store's

security camera when Trammell made the purchase

in July of 1998.

Frederick

Mandrillan Coleman pled guilty to burglary and

received 10 years to serve. He faced a number of

burglary charges in Fayette County and was

already is jail for armed robbery in Clayton

County.

David

Edmund Badders was convicted last week of

criminal armed robbery and battery. He was

sentenced Monday to five years and two to serve.

Sonya

Eyvette Ponder pled guilty to forgery in the

first degree and giving a false name. She

received four years to serve on each count,

running concurrently.

Torien

Berell Watson, charged with possession of

cocaine, received a directed verdict of

acquittal.

Winfred

Marion Bowan pled guilty to possession of

marijuana and methamphetamine. He was sentenced

to two years to serve.

Koa

Garlanda Grover pled guilty to receiving stolen

property, failure to signal when changing lanes

and driving without a license.

Robert

Shane Jarrard pled guilty to theft by receiving

stolen property. Randy Wayne Abercrombie pled

guilty to habitual violator.

Calvin

Leon Terrell pled guilty after his trial had

already started last week. Felicia Levette

Cunningham, charged with a number of forgery and

theft counts, pled guilty and received probation

and time in a diversion center.

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