Middletown Crack Case Ends with No Contest Plea, Three Years Probation

The following actions were taken in Superior Court and Second District Court on Tuesday, Nov. 30. The following information provided is solely based on court records.

Superior Court:

• Joseph Shepard, 18, 35 Grape St., Providence, second floor, entered a plea of no contest to robbery charges in court on Tuesday. Shepard was arrested on Feb. 8 and charged with one count of first-degree robbery of a Domino's Pizza in Newport and three counts of first-degree robbery charges on three individuals. In court, the Domino's Pizza charge was reduced to conspiracy to commit robbery, and was sentenced to 10 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) with five years to serve and five years suspended with probation. For each count of the first-degree robbery charges, Shepard was sentenced to serve 15 years at the ACI, with five years to serve and 10 years suspended with probation.

• Claude E. Hampton, 22, of 130 Connection St., Newport, entered a plea of no contest in Superior Court on Tuesday. Hampton was arrested on Sept. 7, 2008 and charged with breaking and entering into a residence at 244 Parkholm and vandalism. Hampton was sentenced to serve six years at the ACI, with a six year suspended sentence and six years on probation.

• Joseph Pena, 36, of 68 Jean St., Middletown, pleaded no contest to drug charges in Superior Court on Tuesday, while two other charges were dismissed. Pena was arrested Nov. 13 in Middletown and charged with possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine, resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer. On Tuesday, Pena received a three-year sentence with probation, 100 hours of community service and mandatory substance abuse treatment for the drug charges, while the obstruction of justice and resisting arrest charges were dismissed.

• Kimberly Dawn Reid, 28, 19 Beechtree St., Newport, pleaded no contest to charges stemming from an arrest on Oct. 31 in Middletown. Reid was charged with operating a motor vehicle without consent. On Tuesday in Superior Court, Reid was also charged with receiving stolen goods. She was sentenced to serve two years at the ACI with two years suspended with probation. Reid also was ordered to pay $120 in restitution.

Second District Court:

• Portsmouth Police Department DUI charges against David Roy, 44, of 370 Barnes St., Fall River, Mass., were  dismissed. On Oct. 14, Roy was arrested in Portsmouth and charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. However, the case was dismissed because for lack of sufficient evidence and the blood test yielded results below 0.08 alcohol by volume and no narcotics.