JOHNSTOWN — A Fonda man involved in the theft of a vehicle and debit card last year was recently sentenced in Fulton County Court to up to six years in state prison.
Devon M. Morby, 24, of Jennings Lane, was sentenced Feb. 9 by County Court Judge Polly A. Hoye based on a plea arrangement. He received three to six years in prison, and he must make an unspecified amount of restitution to his victim.
The sentence was based on his Dec. 15, 2020 guilty plea to one felony count of third-degree grand larceny.
Morby was arrested by Johnstown police at 10:26 p.m. March 9, 2020 on felony counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and third-degree grand larceny.
Police said Morby was charged on Route 29 in Galway. Members of the Patrol Division arrested him for the alleged theft of a motor vehicle and debit card following a vehicle pursuit. The pursuit began in the city of Gloversville and ended in Galway. Police said Morby was also issued multiple traffic violations by additional agencies involved in the vehicle pursuit. The Johnstown Police Department was assisted at the time by the Gloversville Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and the state police.
The defendant had also been sought on a warrant issued by state parole officials.
In other recent County Court cases, one of two men involved in a Gloversville case in spring 2020 involving the theft of assault rifles was sentenced Feb. 9 by Hoye, as part of a plea arrangement.
Damin A. Dacorsi, 22, of 25 Grand St., Gloversville, received 1 1/3 to four years in state prison and restitution. An order of protection was also granted for his victim.
He pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2020 before Hoye to one count of third-degree robbery.
Dacorsi was arrested May 7 by Gloversville police. He was one of two men — the other being Koree K. Wilson, of 14 Kent St., Gloversville — charged in connection with an early morning robbery and burglary that resulted in the theft of two assault rifles. Execution of a search warrant that led to the arrest of one of the men also turned up 180 bags of suspected heroin and other narcotics packaged for sale, police said at the time. Both men were charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
According to a Gloversville police press release in May 2020, charges against Dacorsi and Wilson followed the investigation into a robbery and burglary that occurred at an address on Burlington Avenue at 1:22 a.m. Officers dispatched to the Burlington Avenue residence for the report of a burglary and robbery after the fact made contact with the victims upon arrival. The individuals stated that Wilson, a male who was known to them, made unlawful entry into their home and stole a safe belonging to another occupant of the residence who was not present.
Based on the known identity of Wilson as one of the suspects, officers acted quickly to locate Wilson who was taken into custody on Homestead Drive.
After conducting interviews in connection to the incident, detectives learned that two assault rifles, an AR-15 and an AK-47 variant, had also been stolen from the Burlington Avenue residence. Officers determined that the stolen firearms and safe were located in a camper behind a residence at 25 Grand St. and secured a search warrant. Members of the Glove Cities Emergency Response Team executed the search warrant on the camper and discovered Dacorsi, who was taken into custody at that location.
Thomas Lamphear, 45, of County Highway 152, Mayfield, pleaded guilty Feb. 4 before County Court Judge Michael W. Smrtic to third-degree burglary, as part of a plea arrangement.
Sentencing was adjourned until a later date, but he is expected to receive one year in the Fulton County Jail. An order of protection will also be issued for his victim.
