2 Iraq vets arraigned in Chesco armory fire

are there any Lawyers out there who can help these young men. Especially any Veterans who are lawyers.


http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/2-iraq-vets-arraigned-chesco-armory-fire

PHOENIXVILLE — Two Royersford men were arraigned in Phoenixville District Court Friday afternoon on charges they allegedly set fire to the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory along Rapps Dam Road on April 15.

Dominic Toye Majors and Guy Carlton Jones, both 20, of Royersford, are charged with arson, burglary, possession of explosive/incendiary material, criminal mischief, risking catastrophe, institutional vandalism, criminal trespass and recklessly endangering another person.

Majors and Jones are members of the 56th Stryker Brigade, 111th Infantry, which returned from a year in Iraq last September and is based at the East Pikeland armory.

According to court documents, Majors recently failed a drug test required by the unit.

Close to 20 family members and friends of both Majors and Jones were in the courtroom of District Judge Ted Michaels. Majors was represented by attorney Paul J. Rubino of Paoli.

Majors told the court that he’s lived in Royersford for the past three months, and previously lived in Coatesville. He said he is single, no children and no criminal history.

Before Michaels’ set his client’s bail, Rubino told the court, “He has no contact with law enforcement before. His parents are here. He just turned 20. He’s a lifelong Chester County resident. ... He’s an Iraq War veteran, and his commander died in his arms.”

Michaels, citing the fact that Majors was arrested in New Jersey and is considered a flight risk set bail at $750,000 cash.

Following Majors’ arraignment, Jones was escorted into the courtroom, where he sat without any representation. Michaels set his bail at $750,000 cash as well, and remanded him to Chester County Prison.

Both men are scheduled to return to Phoenixville District Court on Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 1 p.m. for their preliminary hearings.

Before leaving district court, Majors and Jones were allowed to briefly meet with their mothers.

Jones’ mother, who was leaving district court with another family member, spoke to the media briefly.

She said that both young men had just come home from the service and the family feels that no one is helping them with the adjustment to civilian life.

“Where’s the help? Who’s helping them? They were fighting for us, and the only thing people know them for is this,” said the other family member, prior to driving away from the parking lot.

The Armory sustained $1.25 million in damages in the 4:10 a.m. fire on April 15, according to Kimberton Fire Chief Doug Gable.

Firefighters from Phoenixville, Kimberton, Valley Forge, Liberty Fire, Ridge and Lionville responded to the blaze and had the fire under control within 45 minutes, he said. Investigators from state police at Embreeville and the Chester County fire marshal determined the blaze was arson and said that fires appeared to have been set by people breaking into the building.

According to court documents, East Pikeland Police Officer Joe Heyman was notified by a township employee of a suspicious vehicle parked next to the covered bridge a short distance from the armory around 3:21 a.m.

April 15. The vehicle was registered to Dana R. Majors, 44, of Coatesville.

At the fire scene, investigators found the remains of several Molotov cocktails constructed of glass bottles with a cloth wick, Heyman said.

State Police Criminal Investigation Unit detectives interviewed Armory officials and discovered that Majors had failed a drug test in early March 2010 and was scheduled to take a secondary drug test on his reserve weekend, March 19-21.

Officials told investigators that Majors was supposed to submit to a secondary test, but he left the facility without notice with Jones, who was to take a drug test as well.

Police located Majors and Jones in North Wildwood early April 16, and they were extradited back to Pennsylvania for Friday’s arraignment.