i Teen robber pleads guilty
Morning Sentinel
Teen robber pleads guilty
BY DOUG HARLOW
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 02/19/2009

SKOWHEGAN -- A Madison teenager pleaded guilty Wednesday in juvenile court to his role in the armed robbery of a gate attendant last summer at the Skowhegan State Fair.

Shane T. Starks, 18, of Perkins Street, was committed to the Mountain View Youth Development Center in Charleston until his 20th birthday, Assistant District Attorney Brent Davis said.

Starks was charged as a juvenile with armed robbery. Prosecutors said Starks was the gunman in the late-night robbery. He was 17 when the crime happened Aug. 15.

Russell D. Berry, 19, of Old Point Avenue, Madison, pleaded guilty as an adult in Superior Court in January to robbery in the same case.

Berry was sentenced to eight years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended.

He also is ordered to serve three years of probation once he is released and to pay back the $1,400 netted in the robbery.

Prosecutors said Berry was the driver in the holdup.

Davis said Starks also was ordered to pay back the $1,400, either by himself or in conjunction with Berry, once they are released.

"In a perfect world, one person would pay $700 and the other person would pay $700," Davis said. "But if one of them, for whatever reason, doesn't pay, that other person is on the hook for all of it."

Starks' attorney John Martin of Skowhegan could not be reached Wednesday afternoon for comment.

Davis said Starks had not yet entered a plea to the charge and was not scheduled to appear in court until next month, but got into more trouble this past weekend.

"He had been detained for another violation -- he had been charged with unauthorized use of property," Davis said. "He was charged with taking his mother's car without her permission on Feb. 14."

Starks had been free following the robbery charge, Davis said. His juvenile case worker authorized a hold on him for the new criminal conduct, he said.

"(Wednesday) was the first day that we had an opportunity to see him and he ended up entering a plea to the armed robbery," Davis said.

Police last summer said the gunman, later identified as Starks, wore a ski mask, black gloves and aviator-style sunglasses. He pointed the weapon at the attendant at the Russell Road gate, grabbed money and escaped on foot to a waiting car near the fair's Beech Street entrance.

Divers from the Maine State Police Dive Team found the BB-handgun used during the robbery a month later.

Divers fished the weapon from the Kennebec River in Madison, about 25 to 30 yards from the railroad trestle near the former Anson Stick mill.

Skowhegan police said the gun was recovered because "some information was shared" on the case.

Davis declined to say Wednesday if there are others still to be charged in the state fair robbery.

"I don't want to comment any further on that, right yet," he said.

Doug Harlow -- 474-9534, ext. 342

dharlow@centralmaine.com

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