La Plata, MD – A 35-year-old man from La Plata was sentenced to eight years in the Maryland Department of Corrections by Charles County Circuit Court Judge Helen I. Harrington Monday, Nov. 17 after he plead guilty to two of 11 counts against him, avoiding a jury trial.

Terrcell Ernest Thompson was facing charges of Attempted Robbery with a deadly weapon. He pled guilty to Assault Second Degree and Rogue and Vagabond charges, stemming from a May 16, 2014 incident in which he approached two street sweeping workers at Smallwood Village in Waldorf in the early morning hours of May 16, inebriated, and asked for money. When the two men, both Hispanic, failed to comply, Thompson allegedly pulled a knife and threatened them.

One of the victims, Jose Mendovar, testified through an interpreter that he fears for his safety as a result of the incident. “We don’t feel safe anymore,” Mendovar told the court.

The witness also testified that the other worker who was with him at the time of the incident has since returned to his native home in Mexico out of fear.

Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Francis Granados told Harrington at Thompson’s sentencing that the defendant had a “major record,” dating back to 2003.

Thompson’s court history includes prior attempted robberies, disorderly conduct, driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence, trespassing and disorderly conduct on at least five different occasions, he said.

Granados explained that the majority of charges against Thompson were the result of drinking. He said the defendant served three years in the Maryland Department of Corrections and another 18 months on a different charge.

“Over time, his record builds up to something more serious,” Granados said. “People have a right to be able to do their job. One of the victims moved out of the county. He moved back to Mexico. It’s a sad commentary on Waldorf when these men were just doing their job, sending money home to their families, and in Smallwood Village, we can’t even have street cleaners do their jobs.”

He added that the state was seeking eight years of active incarceration.

“He needs to be taken off the street for a while,” Granados stated. “I think this is a fair and just sentence.”

“Alcohol is an underlying issue in this case,” said Fred Lester from the Charles County Public Defender’s Office. “When the police officers were on the scene he was cooperative with them. Please note that no victim was injured. The alcohol is a major problem with my client. I’m not making excuses, I’m just asking your honor to take that into consideration,” he told Harrington.

“When you’re drinking, the first thing that goes out of the window is judgment,” Harrington told Thompson. “From the get go, it appears you were not in your right mind. You have a major record, you got that bit by bit,” she added. “It adds up to a major record. It looks like a whole series of really bad decisions.”

Harrington said the sentence of the court was 10 years of incarceration at the Maryland Department of Corrections on the second degree assault charge and another three years on the rogue and vagabond charge, with all but eight years suspended. She added he would be on five years of supervised probation upon his release and would be required to attend alcohol counseling upon his release for a period of five years.

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com