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Sunday, January 27, 2019

Maryland man gets 10 years in prison for stealing 10 cigarette packs he tried to sell for cash, gas

A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes during New Year's Day in 2018 from a Wicomico County gas station.

John Edward Lowe, 36, of Mardela Springs, Maryland, was sentenced Thursday in Wicomico County Court by Judge Kathleen L. Beckstead after he was convicted in November of robbery and second-degree assault in the crime.

On the morning of New Year's Day, Lowe had threatened a clerk opening the Food Rite store in Hebron, Maryland. He demanded that the clerk hand over cash.

Lowe tried to have the clerk open the register, but he then attempted to open it himself, according to a release from the Wicomico County State Attorney's office.

After unsuccessfully trying to pry the cash register open, he fled the establishment with about 10 packs of cigarettes.

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26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Threat to public safety??? Priors?? Seems a bit much. I assume he had a gun which would mean a mandatory sentence. But 10 years?

Anonymous said...

That guy is an idiot.

Anonymous said...

but he could of worked for wcboe and fraudulently attained gift cards with taxpayer funds and used them and that would be ok! funny thing about who gets prison time and who doesn't! the real crooks work for wcboe!

Anonymous said...

8:31 - Right on! Or he should have gone to Mexico and then illegally entered this country and he would be good to go!!

Anonymous said...

8:31
Spot on!

Anonymous said...

The Peter Principle is working well at the wcboe

Anonymous said...

He and Adam Jones went to high school together in Illinois. We’re in a band called ‘Electric Sheep’ I think. Wonder if there are any tapes floating around...

Anonymous said...

Read the whole story. Then comment.

Anonymous said...

Assault first assault second theft robbery possession of illegal firearms possession of possession of firearm during a felony... What would your consider a public threat risk??? Also wasn't a mandatory!

Anonymous said...

9:18 The sheriff department is known for tacking on as many charges as they can. The boy that raped the girl in school got less time than this man.

Anonymous said...

Still an idiot.

MLC said...

He may well have had a gun, but as I have learned, a person can be arrested for something without any evidence. If he had a gun, and if he threatened the clerk with a gun, then the sentence is just. However, Wicomico County has a habit of creating a laundry list of charges against a person, even if there is nothing to support the charges. If the fact is that he stole 10 packs of cigarettes and received 10 years, then the draconian Kathleen Beckstead is at it again. I have personal knowledge of four cases for which Beckstead went far beyond what should have been given I am sure that there are many others who have been victimizef by this self-righteous, arrogant woman. There is no Justice in the so-called Justice system; it is a money-making machine, especially here on the Shore. We all live in the state of Maryland, but depending on the county and the judge, sentences are totally arbitrary. Why do we give so much power to the judges? They have absolutely no accountability to anyone. People say that we have the best justice system in the world; those people have not had their lives and their families destroyed by it. People should receive consequences for their actions, but all of us should be playing by the same rules.

Anonymous said...

Cigs, gun, harm, priors, 10 years (5 with good behavior) - that's 60 months.

GOOD!

Anonymous said...

10 years? not enough. take a look at his priors, 31 on md case search. most for theft, guns, kidnapping, drugs, etc.. I guess this latest conviction broke the camels back. 10 Years is not enough.

Anonymous said...

Did the cigarettes have Maryland stamps ?

Anonymous said...

The County overwhelmingly voted Beckstead in - now look what you've got ! You should have left her box unchecked.

Anonymous said...

Beckstead kicks A$$ need more like her...

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN said...

10:45 COMMENT IS WORTHY OF NOTING

There is no Due process in Wicomico County, and may GOD help you if any lunatic woman says you did something, especially without evidence.

I have been accused in Wicomico County Court of things I never did
by my wife...
who was having affairs with doctors for more prescription opiates...

as noted....the sheriff's office swarmed my quiet neighborhood, knock my door so hard my antiques busted on the floor

threatened to shoot my family dog
who was barking through the closed door at their antics ...

went to Wicomico County Court for a circus show ,...
and thank God John Render was my attorney.... the allegations were of no merit, and tossed bc of my lawyer John Render

outside the court room the FAT BLONDE sherrif bumped into my chest to edge me on

Yes....our court system is the result of decades of Democratic chaos....

may God help you if anyone says ....just says
you did something

guilty until proven innocent in Wicomico County Courts


Anonymous said...

10 years equates to about 6 months time served this day and time anyway...

Anonymous said...

You weren’t found guilty, your case was thrown out of court. You were innocent until proven guilty. You prove your last sentence is false. Bummer about your antiques though...

Anonymous said...

The State's Attorney would have prepared a sentencing guideline sheet-and since most states do not have a case search that we can look at, one cannot be sure of his record outside of Maryland. He also has MORE charges pending. The bleeding hearts who think his sentence is unfair, send him a letter while he's in Division of Corrections and offer YOUR home as a place he can ultimately get paroled or mandatory released to if you think he was treated so poorly.

Anonymous said...

8:03 I love your made up story! comical.

Anonymous said...

He is a career criminal. Should be locked up for good.

Anonymous said...

I know for a fact that an inmate @ ECI that served hard time for too many rockfish caught so why not stealing. If this man lived in some countries he might have had his hand cut off for stealing. The laws are too lenient here.

Anonymous said...

He cannot make a contribution to society,other than contributing to the largest business on Earth,which is the US Judicial System.

Anonymous said...

@1:56 I think I have to call for verification on your comment...copy and paste from Case Search to show it. I have been involved in the Maryland Court System for nearly 3 decades and have never heard of a sentence like that-our judges would not put somebody in Division of Corrections over a fish.... Please show us the case.