June 9th, 2016 by WCBC Radio
A New York man was sentenced to a 20-year prison term Wednesday in connection with the stabbing of a Mississippi man last September at the 7-Eleven Store on Maryland Avenue. The Cumberland Times News reports the Office of the State's Attorney for Allegany County stated that 36-year-old Rasshammach Roberts of New York was convicted in Allegany County Circuit Court of one count of first-degree assault. Judge W. Timothy Finan sentenced Roberts to 20 years in the Maryland Division of Corrections, suspending all but seven years of the sentence. A plea in the matter was entered on the second day of trial by jury.
On Sept. 28, 2015, police and rescue crews were called to respond to the 7-Eleven Store located on Maryland Avenue, in reference to an assault that had just taken place.
First-responders arrived and made contact with the victim, Kevin Wesley, 25, who had a last known address of Mississippi.
Wesley was bleeding from his arm and transported to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries.
The investigation developed Roberts as a suspect and he was charged in the incident.
Assistant State's Attorney Erich Bean, who prosecuted the case, said, "I am satisfied with the conviction in this case, particularly in light of the fact the victim, a resident of Mississippi, was unable to be located and failed to return calls to investigators.
"A friend of the victim who was with him at the time of the assault, and the only other eye witness, testified that she was under the influence of drugs during the attack and therefore could not identify Roberts as the perpetrator.
"Despite these obstacles this office still went forward on the matter and the defendant elected to plea during the second day of testimony at his jury trial.
"We will continue to focus our efforts on people who come to Allegany County for the sole purpose of committing crimes in our community."
The case was investigated by the C3I Unit and Cumberland City Police.
Roberts was represented by Michael Stankan and David Schram of the Public Defender's Office.
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