web1_Grimm.Facebook.cmyk_.jpg

WBA board hears about online survey, alters attendance policy

web1_web1_police-lights20181993941226-1.jpg

Police: Woman in car-theft case fled stop, nearly struck Sugar Notch officer

<p>A Pittston man convicted of conspiring to rob a Domino&#8217;s deliveryman lost his challenge at overturning the verdict and sentence.</p><p>A three-member panel of the state Superior Court on Thursday upheld the conviction of Travis Wade Matthews, 32, who is serving 10 1/2 to 21 years in prison for the robbery on Elizabeth Street, Pittston, on Jan. 5, 2017.</p><p>Pittston police alleged Matthews, Terry Williamson, 32, of Gouldsboro, and Sara Snee, 32, conspired to rob the deliveryman.</p><p>Police said Snee placed the order to be delivered to a dimly lit section of Elizabeth Street where Matthews and Williamson robbed Bruce Eckersley when he arrived with the order.</p><p>Eckersley initially told police two black men robbed him, with one of the suspects armed with a handgun.</p><p>Matthews, a white man, and Williamson, a black man, allegedly got away with $150 in cash, Eckersley&#8217;s iPhone, car keys and two pizzas.</p><p>Police traced the phone number used to place the order to Snee&#8217;s apartment on Winter Street, Pittston, where two children were eating pizza. A sticker of the Elizabeth Street address was affixed to the pizza boxes, and a Domino&#8217;s hot bag was found in a Dumpster near Snee&#8217;s apartment, according to court records. </p><p>During a trial before Judge Joseph Sklarosky Jr. in December 2017, Eckersley admitted he told police two black men robbed him, indicating he based his description on the tone of their voices.</p><p>A jury convicted Matthews on felony robbery and related charges.</p><p>Williamson and Snee pleaded guilty to conspiracy-related counts. Williamson was sentenced to 21 months to five years in prison, and Snee was sentenced to nine to 23 months followed by two years probation, court records say.</p><p>Matthews appealed the jury&#8217;s conviction to the state Superior Court, alleging he was falsely identified as one of the suspects because he is white and Eckersley claimed the two robbers were black.</p><p>The appellate court ruled the jury was free to decide on the testimony of Eckersley, who admitted he was scared and upset when he gave a statement to police.</p><p>Matthews also challenged his lengthy sentence, claiming Williamson was the person who held the handgun, which turned out to be a pellet gun.</p><p>&#8220;&#8230; Even assuming (Matthews) did not hold the deadly weapon during the offense, the evidence establishes that the deadly weapon was within his immediate control,&#8221; the Superior Court ruled in upholding Matthews&#8217; conviction and sentence. </p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_Travis-Matthews-DOC.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Matthews </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_Travis-Matthews-DOC.jpg</photo0><caption0>Matthews </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Robbery conviction upheld in Pittston deliveryman case