Thursday, August 7, 2008

15 Years for Man Who Kidnapped & Shot Hack Cabbie

From the SA's office:
This morning Judge Robert Kershaw sentenced Raymond Saunders, 21, of the 2200 block of Sydney Avenue, to life suspend all but 15-years in prison with 3-years supervised probation for attempted first-degree murder and 5-years for the use of a handgun in a crime of violence after he plead guilty to the facts of the case. The sentences will run concurrently.

The elements of the offenses to which Saunders has plead guilty are as follows: On April 11, 2007 at 11:25 am in the 2400 block of Wilgrey Court, police officers found Michael Storm bleeding profusely after being shot in the chest and left arm. Mr. Storm reported that he had been operating as a “Hack” when he met Raymond Saunders to transport him to 2400 block of Wilgrey Court. After exiting the vehicle, and while Mr. Storm was waiting in his vehicle on another patron, Saunders returned to the vehicle to inquire about his cell phone believing he had left it in the car. When the phone was not found in the vehicle, Saunders became agitated with Storm. Storm entered the dwelling with Saunders in an effort to help him find the missing phone insisting to him that he did not have the phone. Saunders became more irate and held Mr. Storm captive at gunpoint. During the hours of captivity Saunders forced Storm to drive him around at gunpoint, accusing him of stealing the cell phone, threatening him and insisting the phone be returned. They returned to the 2400 block of Wilgrey Court when Saunder’s {sic} became irate and shot Michael Storm. Though Michael Storm suffered extensive internal injuries he was able to identify Raymond Saunders as the person who shot him after being held captive for 11-hours. Other witnesses present in the 2400 block of Wilgrey Court identified Saunders as the shooter. Raymond Saunders fled to New York and was arrested there by the Warrant Apprehension Task Force and the New York Police Department.
15 years for all that? i thought kidnapping was usually considered kind of a big deal!

4 comments:

ppatin said...

I wonder if this Raymond Saunders is related to the guy by the same name who murdered Det. Thomas Newmann several years ago?

gmd said...

When is someone finally going to sue the cell phone manufacturors for selling inherently dangerous products? The things are clearly addictive! How much Baltimore crime involves cell phones? This sounds like the perfect vehicle for Jessamy to finally find that issue that will propel her to higher office, unless it can be shown that the KKK is responsible for a couple Baltimore homicides or a group of Hopkins lacrosse players is behind the prostitute murders.

Bmore said...

can someone tell me why cell phones are stolen and used in crimes?? is it to make calls from an "untapped" phone? police can track where the call came from so whats the deal??

ppatin said...

"police can track where the call came from so whats the deal??"

I'm pretty sure they can't track down the exact location unless they're using fairly specialized equipment and looking for a specific phone.