TROY KIRKEBY SENTENCED FOR
VIP CASINO ROBBERY
LAPETE
HICKS SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS FOR ROBBERY
PENITENTIARY
SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR ASSAULT WITH FIREARM
carter enters guilty plea in
the death of joseph cynkar
TROY KIRKEBY SENTENCED FOR VIP CASINO ROBBERY
Published
121211 – Sioux Falls, SD
On December 13, 2011 Circuit Court Judge Bradley G. Zell
sentenced Troy John
Kirkeby, age 46, of Sioux Falls, to 15 years in the
Penitentiary for the First Degree Robbery of the VIP Casino on West 41st Street
on May 24, 2011. Kirkeby,
wearing gloves, a mask and a hooded sweatshirt used a knife to take money from
the casino clerk. Nathan Stoops, age 26, and Chase Schraeder, age 23, who were
working at the adjacent Empire Oil Change business, saw the robber enter the
casino with his hood up. When the robber ran from the casino moments later,
they pursued and held the robber until the police arrived.
LAPETE
HICKS SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS FOR ROBBERY
Published
11/1/11 – Sioux Falls, SD
On October 31, 2011 Circuit Court Judge Bradley G. Zell
sentenced Lapete Romell
Hicks, age 35, of Sioux Falls, to 50 years in the Penitentiary for robbing
Deuces Casino and one of its customers on July 12, 2010. On August 22, 2011, following a 5 day trial,
a jury found Hicks guilty of two counts of First Degree Robbery and two counts
of Grand Theft. The State’s evidence
persuaded the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Hicks, armed with a handgun,
robbed the casino clerk of more than $1,000 and robbed a casino customer of her
car which was valued at more than $1000.
On September 20, 2011, Hicks entered a guilty plea to being an Habitual Criminal based on a prior armed robbery conviction
in 1996. Judge Zell sentenced Hicks to
25 years for robbing the casino clerk and 10 concurrent years for Grand theft
of the casino money. Judge Zell sentenced Hicks to 25 years for robbing the
customer and 10 concurrent years for Grand theft of the customer’s car. Finding the two robberies to be separate
transactions, Judge Zell ordered that the two 25 year robbery sentences be
served consecutively.
PENITENTIARY
SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR ASSAULT WITH FIREARM
Published 3/28/11 – Sioux
Falls, SD
2nd Circuit Court Judge Peter Lieberman today imposed a 10
year Penitentiary sentence, with 4 years suspended, upon 32 year old Israel
David Suarez of Sioux Falls for committing Aggravated Assault with a handgun at
a parking lot on 41st Street in Sioux Falls on August 29, 2010. Suarez was previously convicted for Grand
Theft in Sioux Falls on June 8, 2005 for stealing inmate funds while then
employed as a Corrections Officer with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Judge Lieberman told the Defendant he was imposing
a Penitentiary sentence because Defendant had pointed a handgun (later found to
be loaded) at Defendant’s ex-wife’s fiancé after threatening his ex-wife and
his children through text messages, because in addition to the loaded handgun
used in the assault, a “short” shotgun (controlled-weapon) and Marijuana with
paraphernalia were found in Defendant’s apartment which he shared with two of
his young children. Suarez initially
refused to leave his apartment where the weapons and drug were found when law
enforcement contacted him following the assault. Two children were safely escorted from the
apartment after Defendant surrendered to the officers. Judge Lieberman also suspended 2 years in the
State Penitentiary on Suarez for Possession of a Controlled Weapon (short
shotgun), to run consecutive to the suspended portion of the Aggravated Assault
charge.
carter enters guilty plea in the death of
joseph cynkar
Published 12/28/10 – Sioux
Falls, SD
29 year old Benjamin Charles
Carter (DOB 7/3/81) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, acknowledged his
participation in the July 19, 2010 killing of 27 year old Joseph Edward Cynkar,
also of Sioux Falls, which occurred at Carter’s house in Sioux Falls, where
Cynkar was staying. Carter entered a
guilty plea to Manslaughter in the 1st Degree (SDCL 22-16-15(2)) before 2nd
Circuit Court Judge Peter H. Lieberman.
A pre-sentence report was ordered by Judge Lieberman and a sentencing
date of March 22, 2011 at 1:30 P.M. as been set. Carter faces up to 70 years in the state penitentiary
as part of the plea agreement. Carter
remains in custody. The other person
charged with killing Cynkar, 23 year old Payton Edward Strum (DOB 6/30/87),
also of Sioux Falls, is also in custody and is scheduled for a Pre-Trial
hearing before Judge Lieberman on January 27, 2011 at 9:00 A.M
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