November 18, 2003
Section: Schenectady
Edition: Schenectady Albany; Final
Page: B-02

Utica teen gets felony prison time Denied youthful offender status in incidents of forced robberies

STEVEN COOK

Gazette Reporter

SCHENECTADY - The second of two Utica teens who pleaded guilty to charges relating to a scheme that involved holding three local teens and forcing them to rob women was sentenced to up to 4 1/2 years in prison. Fredy Farley, 16, was sentenced by Schenectady County Court Judge Michael C. Eidens to 18 months to 4 1/2 years in state prison. Farley pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery in January. Farley's attorney Randall Kehoe cited a favorable pre-sentencing report in arguing for youthful offender status. The move would have sealed his felony record. Farley was 15 at the time of the Dec. 8, 2002 incident. He pleaded guilty as an adult. But Eidens denied the request and moved forward to sentence Farley according to the plea bargain he agreed to in January. In that plea, Farley admitted his role, where he and 19-year-old Anthony Garcia used a pellet gun to force three Schenectady 18-year-olds to rob women of their purses. Garcia pleaded guilty in August to one count of first-degree robbery and one count of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property. He was sentenced last month to 11 1/2 years in state prison. Police have said Garcia and Farley drove up to the three teens near the intersection of State Street and Brandywine venue and offered them marijuana. The teens had been on foot, going to the store to buy cigarettes. They agreed and got into the car. Once inside, the teens became hostages under threat of being shot. Garcia took them to several supermarkets, ordering one of the teens to steal purses from women. Assistant District Attorney Susan Ciani Casey prosecuted the case.

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