The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A LONG Island man accused of breaking into the Cape Santa Maria Villa of an American family and robbing a man of cash and a jeep was unanimously convicted of the crimes in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Jefferson Delancey of Glinton’s, Long Island, now returns to the Supreme Court on April 12 for sentencing before Justice Roy Jones where on the charge of armed robbery alone, he faces a possible sentence of life imprisonment.

The farmer faced two charges, both he denied, during his seven-day trial before Justice Jones on burglary and armed robbery.

Prosecutors Terry Archer and Aaron Johnson alleged that Delancey, on December 22, 2009, broke and entered the Cape Santa Maria Resort Village of Dan Roazma.

Armed with a handgun, Delancey robbed Roazma of cash and a Suzuki Jeep.

Roazma and his family, who are from Alaska, were vacationing in the Bahamas in the winter of 2009, when a man wearing a mask and brandishing a handgun broke into their villa, demanding cash and other belongings.

The masked gunman also stole the jeep before taking off.

The prosecution relied on a confession statement the accused gave to police shortly after his arrest.

Delancey, though cross-examining prosecution witnesses through his attorney Dorsey McPhee, opted not to give evidence in the matter nor did he call any witnesses in his defence.

In yesterday’s proceedings, Justice Jones summarised the evidence in the week-long trial before excusing the jury of two men and seven women to deliberate on a verdict.

The jury returned less than two hours later with the foreman announcing a unanimous 9-0 guilty verdict. The judge thanked the jury for their services before excusing them.

He told Delancey that his sentencing would take place on April 12 when a probation report would be presented to the court.