NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk man was sentenced to more than four years on Friday for being in possession of a stolen Kia and burglarious tools and violating his probation, the city Commonwealth's Attorney Office said.
The sentencing came after Lamarcus Vonte Bowman,19, pleaded guilty to possessing burglarious tools, wearing a mask to conceal his identity and receiving stolen goods.
On July 31, a Newport News woman reported her 2018 Kia Optima to have been stolen.
The next day, Norfolk Police received a FLOCK alert that the vehicle was being driven in the 7100 block of Sewells Point Road.
Officers found the vehicle and saw Bowman wearing a knit ski mask. He tried to run away but officers arrested Bowman.
They found him to be in possession of tools and disposable gloves.
The car's steering column and ignition were tampered with, consistent with the “Kia Challenge” method of auto thefts, and surveillance footage from a building near where the car was parked confirmed Bowman to have been driving it before officers arrived.
Bowman was in violation of his probation for his prior offenses and the judge revoked two years and nine months of his previously suspended sentences, which he must now serve in addition to his two-year sentence for the August incident.
“It boggles the mind that Mr. Bowman committed an auto theft, did time for it, and then committed another auto theft a month after his release,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “In this situation, there is nothing to do but to send Mr. Bowman to prison in hopes that he will use the resources there to change his behavior. Otherwise, his next prison sentence will keep getting longer.”
