for BigTrial.net
On May 7, 2018, Jayvonne Campfield, 19, of North Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to a drug dealing charge.
He could have been shipped off to the county jail or been put on probation but the D.A.'s office under Progressive Larry Krasner decided to give Campfield a break. They hooked him up with a Jewish faith-based organization known as TCY of Philadelphia, as in "The Choice Is Yours." TCY's self-proclaimed mission is to "Make Hope Happen" with an "innovative diversion program for first-time nonviolent felony drug offenders facing one or two year prison sentences." Instead of going to jail, Campfield had to perform 220 hours of community service.
On May 23, 2019, after he had completed his community service and graduated from TCY, Campfield got another break -- the drug dealing charge that he pleaded guilty to was marked as withdrawn by the D.A.'s office. On July 1, 2019, Common Pleas Court approved an "Order for Limited Access," meaning Campfield's drug case was now designated as "LA" for "Limited Access," so that the press and public can't see it. That's another benefit for TCY graduates, "removing the stigma of a criminal record," as in expunging past charges, so that Campfield could start a new life.
Exactly one week later, on July 8, 2019, Campfeld was one of a trio of masked and armed bandits who attempted to rob a Sprint store in Chestnut Hill. The trio wound up being trapped inside the store with frightened customers and employees while a SWAT team camped outside, brandishing armor and assault rifles. During a standoff that led to the evacuation of an entire shopping plaza, three employees held briefly as hostages managed to escape the bandits. "We were scared to death," one employee told CBS3. The standoff ended when the trio of would-be robbers surrendered to police.
He pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of manufacture, delivery or possession and the other charge was withdrawn, according to court records. On Feb. 11, 2018, he got out of jail by posting bail of $6,700.
The plea meant that the defendant did not accept or deny responsibility for the charge, but agreed to the punishment. To get into the TCY program, Campfield needed a referral from the D.A.'s office. According to its website, TCY operates in partnership with the District Attorney's Office and the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
While he was in the TCY program, Campfield got into trouble again. According to court records, he was arrested on June 7, 2018, for receiving stolen property. On May 23, 2019, the charge was withdrawn and the case marked "Limited Access."
The arrest for receiving stolen property apparently did not affect Campfield's enrollment in TCY.
When he got busted for the armed holdup of the Sprint store, Campfield was hit with 31 charges that included robbery, conspiracy, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint with intent to commit serious bodily injury, simple assault, reckless endangerment, as well as firearms not be carried without a license. According to court records, on Nov. 11, 2019, Campfield entered a non--negotiated guilty plea to all 31 charges and was listed in court records as awaiting sentencing.
Even though he was now a violent criminal, he got low bail. On July 8, 2019, his bail was set at $75,000. On Aug. 23, 1919, bail was lowered to $55,000.
But the D.A.'s office under Progressive Larry Krasner has a policy of sentencing criminals below state guidelines. So on Feb. 4, 2020, Campfield got a sentence from Judge Scott DiClaudio of 11 1/2 to 23 months plus 10 years probation.
On Feb. 7, 2020, Campfireld surrendered to authorities and began serving his sentence at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.
On April 24th, Judge Diana Anhalt denied Campfield's first request for early release. Campfield, now 21, is free to reapply.
In addition to his 2018 arrests for drug dealing and receiving stolen property, which are now marked "LA case" for limited access, amazingly, Campfield's 2019 arrest for the armed robbery of the Sprint store is also designated as a "LA Offense." That means that when court employees go back to work, some or many of the charges against Campfield for the armed robbery will eventually not be able to be seen by the press and public.
Why is the D.A.'s office continuing to do favors for Campfield? As usual, District Attorney Krasner and Jane Roh, his alleged $118,000 a-year spokesperson, did not respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson from TCY of Philadelphia would not answer any questions about Campfield's participation in the program. She referred comment to the D.A.'s office and R. Patrick Link, Campfield's lawyer, who did not respond to a request for comment. [Link, like many defense lawyers, was a Krasner supporter, contributing $300 on Feb. 23, 2017 to Krasner's campaign for D.A.]
Campfield is one of the 236 gun cases from July of 2019 prosecuted by the D.A.'s office that Big Trial has been tracking to document Krasner's revolving door style of justice when it comes to gun crimes. Out of the 236 gun cases, as of March 16th, the last day the courts in Philadelphia were open, 66 cases, or nearly 28 percent, had either been dropped, dismissed or lost by the D.A.'s office.
As of March 16th, only 37 defendants, or 15.6%, were found guilty. And all 37 of cases were the result of plea bargains that for the criminals, turned out to be deals just too good to pass up. Because defendants who pleaded guilty to gun crimes typically were either put on probation and walked immediately. Or they pleaded guilty in order to get sentences well below state sentencing guidelines.
Big Trial has previously documented that of a total of the 236 gun cases from July 2019 that were prosecuted by the D.A.'s office under Krasner, not a single defendant to date has been convicted by a judge or a jury of being guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to the D.A.'s Facebook page, "Larry Krasner fights for equal justice for the great people of Philadelphia. A fair and effective criminal justice system makes us safer."
But tell that to the frightened customers and employees who were trapped inside the Sprint store the day Campfield and friends showed up with masks and guns to rob them.
Had R. Patrick Link contributed to Krasners election campaign?
ReplyDelete$300. I added it to the story. Good question.
ReplyDeleteWho funds the reform programs?
ReplyDeleteLet Campbell be released and let others in the hood who have their own grievances against him apply street justice on him with no witnesses present. The police will release a statement saying they are "looking" for his killers.
ReplyDelete