Justin Cleeve Johnson, 20, of Ypsilanti, was arraigned June 14 in 34th District Court on ten charges surrounding the June 11 safe breaking and break in at the Meijer store office in Van Buren Township.
Van Buren Township Police Detective Michael Long said Johnson broke into Meijer through the Garden Center and was able to gain entry into the main store through a door that was accidentally left unsecured. He went back three separate times and was caught on the third trip.
Johnson’s probable cause conference was set for June 22 and then adjourned to June 29. He was released on bond of $5,000/10% with an order that he cannot return to any Meijer location.
Johnson is charged with:
- Two counts of safe breaking;
- Two counts of possession of burglar’s tools;
- Two counts of breaking and entering a building with intent;
- One count of receiving and concealing stolen property worth between $1,000 and $20,000;
- Two counts of larceny in a building;
- One count of escape while awaiting trial for a felony; and
- One count of false report of a medical or other emergency.
Steven Anthony Spry
Steven Anthony Spry, 30, of Chandler, TX, who was in Van Buren Police custody, was arraigned by video by Judge Oakley on Nov. 30 and a probable cause conference set for Dec. 8.
On that date he was in the Wayne County Jail being held for extradition to Texas and he said he won’t be extradited until the charges are cleared up here. He told Judge Green that he was anxious to get things taken care of here so he could get back to his “business on the street” in Texas. Judge Green adjourned his probable cause conference until Dec. 15 on the request of his attorney William Glenn. Then he waived his preliminary examination and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on Dec. 22, which was adjourned until Feb. 4. A disposition conference was set for Feb. 23 and then adjourned to March 9 and then to March 11.
Spry was charged with receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, forgery of plates/license documents, identity theft, and driving while license suspended on Nov. 28 in Van Buren Township.
On March 11 he pled guilty to forgery of plates/license documents and driving while license suspended and the other two charges were dismissed. This reduced the charges to misdemeanors. Sentencing was set for March 23, adjourned to April 21, and then adjourned to June 9 and then June 14. On June 14 he was sentenced to one year of probation and a fee of $1,528.
Andre Maurice Smith, Jr.
Andre Maurice Smith, Jr., 23, of Detroit, was before Judge Green on Dec. 1 for his probable cause conference on charges of fleeing from a police vehicle and operating without a license on person on Dec. 5, 2020 in Van Buren Township. He had just hired attorney Randall Upshaw so his probable cause conference was adjourned to Jan. 5, so his attorney could get the discovery.
On Jan. 5, Judge Oakley set Smith’s preliminary exam for 1 p.m., Feb. 16. At that time, Smith waived his preliminary exam and he was bound over to circuit court on an arraignment on the information on March 2. A disposition conference was set for March 24 and then a calendar conference for April 6. A final conference was set for May 26.
On May 26, he pled guilty to the first charge and the second charge was dismissed. Sentencing is set for July 21.
On Dec. 16, Smith also was scheduled to be at 34th District Court by zoom for an arraignment and pretrial for a charge of interfering with a police officer and misuse of 911 on Nov. 14 in VBT. Judge Oakley reminded him he had a pretrial set on those cases for Jan. 6 and then it was set for a live bench trial on Feb. 17.
On Feb. 17, Smith pled guilty to interfering with a police officer and the 911 charge was dismissed. He was ordered to pay $500.
Put him in jail for LIFE.