Marianna man found guilty
WAYNESBURG – A Marianna man charged with assaulting and robbing a Clarksville couple during a home invasion in February 2005 was found guilty of numerous charges during a jury trial in Greene County Court this week. According to records filed in the county clerk of courts office, Justin L. Auld, 30, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault (attempted serious bodily injury), two counts of simple assault (causing bodily injury), two counts of simple assault (attempting to cause bodily injury), and one count each of robbery (inflicting serious bodily injury to another), aggravated assault (serious bodily injury), burglary and theft by unlawful taking. Auld was found not guilty of one count of aggravated assault (serious bodily injury).
The trial began on Monday and was continued until Tuesday morning; the jury deliberated for a little over one hour before returning the verdict.
Auld will be sentenced by Greene County President Judge H. Terry Grimes following preparation of a 30-day pre-sentencing report.
According to reports, Auld was arrested by state police and arraigned on Feb. 16, 2005, one day after allegedly assaulting and robbing Larry and Patricia Wilson in their Clarksville home.
State police said Auld was charged with forcing his way into the Wilson’s Green Street home around 6 p.m. on Feb. 15. Auld asked Larry Wilson, 56, for directions and requested to use his telephone before forcing his way into the residence, according to police.
Auld then allegedly struck Larry Wilson in the head several times with a blunt object, believed to be a box end wrench, and hit Patricia Wilson, 55, in the head at least once. Auld also stole Larry Wilson’s wallet, which contained $200, according to reports.
Following the assault, Auld fled the scene in a green Chevrolet Beretta that was later found abandoned at Fredericktown Terrace, police said.
According to reports, a Cokeburg man reported to state police in Washington that Auld had borrowed his vehicle and had not returned it, and he gave a description of the vehicle that matched the description provided by the Wilsons after the robbery and assault.
The Wilsons were treated for injuries at Greene County Memorial Hospital, and Larry Wilson was later transferred to a hospital in Morgantown, W.Va., due to the severity of his injuries, according to reports.
Auld pleaded guilty on Sept. 28, 2005, to numerous charges, including two counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault and one count each of robbery, burglary and theft.
Following his guilty plea, Auld was scheduled to be sentenced following preparation of a pre-sentencing report. However, on Oct. 3, five days after pleading guilty, Auld motioned through his attorney to withdraw his guilty plea and withdraw his counsel, according to records.
The court initially denied Auld’s motion two days later, and on Nov. 1 he was sentenced by Grimes to serve 120 to 240 months at the State Correctional Institution at Greene and ordered to pay $1,500 in fines and $8,889.44 in total restitution, according to reports.
However, a post-sentence motion to withdraw the initial guilty plea that was filed by Auld on April 4, 2006, was granted in Greene County court. The original sentencing was withdrawn and Auld was ordered to face a jury trial on the charges, according to reports.
This was not the first time Auld faced charges in a courtroom. According to the Washington County Clerk of Courts office, he pleaded guilty to access device fraud on Feb. 1, 2005, and was sentenced to serve 4 to 12 months and given credit for time served.
In March 2004, he pleaded guilty to robbing Linda’s Market in Brownsville. He was sentenced to serve 6 to 12 months in jail and was ordered to pay restitution. He was given credit for time served.