Springfield shooting case: 8-15 years

A reputed gang member who fired shots at a fleeing acquaintance in the middle of Springfield's main intersection struck a plea deal Friday that will see him spend eight to 15 years in jail.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20131214/NEWS02/712149973

Print Email Terrick Craft is shown in court Friday as he pleads no contest to charges in a July 2012 shooting incident in Springfield. Photo: Photo by Eric FrancisPublished December 14, 2013 in the Rutland Herald Springfield shooting case: 8-15 years By ERIC FRANCIS CORRESPONDENT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A reputed gang member who fired shots at a fleeing acquaintance in the middle of Springfield’s main intersection struck a plea deal Friday that will see him spend eight to 15 years in jail. Terrick Craft, who turns 30 next month, pleaded no contest in White River Junction criminal court to aggravated assault, providing false information to police and attempting to obstruct justice. The state dismissed an attempted second-degree murder charge and dropped a habitual-offender petition that could have increased the penalties. Craft will also get credit for the 17 months he has been behind bars since his arrest. Craft’s distinctive web of facial tattoos and his previous arrests had made him a well-known character in downtown Springfield prior to the July 9, 2012 shooting incident. “The name Terrick Craft carries a lot of baggage in the Springfield community now,” Deputy State’s Attorney David Cahill told Judge Karen Carroll. “Mr. Craft is alleged to have been a drug dealer. He is alleged to have been a member of the Bloods gang. His is alleged to have committed some sort of scam involving the Social Security disability system that somehow allowed Mr. Craft to sit at home not having a job.” But the prosecutor added, “We are not here to pass judgement on Mr. Craft or convict him of any of that innuendo. Instead, we are here to sentence him, not for his reputation in the community, but for a very specific set of acts.” Cahill said the Springfield shooting incident began as Craft and his cousin encountered local resident Nick Brown in the intersection of Main and Park streets. Brown later told police he’d recently heard Craft did not like him and was planning to fight him, and he said Craft walked up to him in a menacing manner. “They had a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical confrontation when Nick Brown punched (Craft), breaking his jaw,” the prosecutor told the judge. “What Mr. Craft did next, in the state’s view was really a reaction out of anger, out of embarrassment, and most of all out of a desire to save face after what had just happened to him,” Cahill said, “and so he pulled out that weapon and he fired those shots at Nick Brown.” Police found evidence that at least four bullets had struck an apartment building where Brown had run for cover, next to the Tangles hair salon. “From the state’s perspective, this was a provoked act,” Cahill said. “It did not happen out of the blue.” But he said Craft’s actions were intentional and reckless. “He fired shots in a densely populated area when plenty of people were around,” Cahill said. The false information charge was based on Craft lying to police about the shooting, the prosecutor said. “He said he wasn’t dumb enough to shoot in broad daylight and had he been aiming for Nick Brown he would have hit him,” Cahill said. The charge of attempting to obstruct justice was based on Craft trying to get friends and relatives to change their stories and blame the shooting on two other people. Carroll accepted the plea deal. “This is a fairly lengthy sentence which is appropriate for the behavior I just heard about,” the judge said.