Pennsylvania man originally facing felony in Bay County District Court pleads guilty to two misdemeanors
 
The Bay City Times

June 01, 2010, 2:02PM

BAY CITY — Originally facing a felony charge that could cost him 10 years in prison, a Pennsylvania man has accepted a plea deal in Bay County District Court.

 

Victor M. Edwards, 21, was originally charged with a 10-year felony count of preparing to burn property more than $20,000 and a misdemeanor count of domestic violence.  Friday, Edwards appeared before Bay County District Judge Timothy J. Kelly and pleaded guilty to the domestic charge and a misdemeanor count of malicious destruction of property more than $200 but less than $1,000, with the attempted arson count being dismissed, court records show.

 

“I negotiated on his behalf with the prosecutor,” said his attorney, Jason P. Gower. “If anything, it was malicious destruction of property. Certainly, a 10-year felony down to two misdemeanors is huge.”

On Nov. 17, Edwards got into a shoving match with his girlfriend at the apartment they shared in the 2100 block of Sixth in Bay City. “He left the house and he took some charcoal fluid and sprayed it in the hallway,” Gower said. “The carpet was ruined, but there was never any intent on Victor’s part to burn anything.”

 

Gower said Edwards did not have a lighter or matches on him when arrested.

 

Five months before his arrest, Edwards moved to Bay City from Manheim, Pa., to be with his girlfriend, Gower said. 

 

The domestic violence charge is punishable by up to 93 days in jail, with the vandalism count punishable by up to one year jail.

 

“At sentencing, we’ll be asking for time served,” Gower said. 

 

Kelly is scheduled to sentence Edwards at 8:30 a.m. on June 15. 

 
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2010/06/pennsylvania_originally_facing.html