Pair sent to prison for home invasion
Two Washington men were sentenced to prison Tuesday for a 2015 robbery at a house on West Hallam Avenue.
Nathaniel Johnson, 22, was sentenced to seven to 15 years in state prison and Sheldon Morris, 20, was sentenced to six to 15 years in state prison by Washington County Judge Michael J. Lucas.
Johnson and Morris each entered guilty pleas to felony robbery and conspiracy charges, as well as six counts of reckless endanderment for a Feb. 25, 2015, invasion of an acquaintance’s home.
Washington police responded to a reported armed robbery by three individuals. The victim, Dustin Phillips, identified Johnson and Morris as two of the robbers.
A third man, Patrick Speer, 44, also of Washington, was later identified and charged in the robbery. He died March 17 while being held at Washington County jail.
A joint trial for Johnson and Morris was set for April 11.
Assistant District Attorney John Friedman, who prosecuted the case, said Phillips knew Johnson and Morris before the robbery.
“He knew Johnson before since (Johnson) was born. He’d known Morris for a long time,” Friedman said. “The three of them would play video games together.”
James Jeffries, the attorney representing Johnson, said his client “is remorseful and he regrets his actions in this case. But at the same time he is grateful that he’s dealt with a fair district attorney and a fair judge.”
Speer, Johnson and Morris entered the family’s home when Phillips’ daughter, 10, let them in. The three ushered Phillips’ five children, aged 2 to 10, into another room.
The men then duct-taped Phillips to a chair in the living room and demanded money. Phillips said he didn’t have any money; Speer fired a black handgun at Phillips but missed. The robbers fled with a Playstation game system and video games.
Attorney Molly Maguire Gaussa, listed in court papers as representing Morris, could not be reached for comment.