Manassas Journal Messenger | Latest defendant sentenced

A 22-year-old Alexandria man was sentenced Thursday for his part in the death of a Woodbridge man.

Kenyon Leshaun Thomas, of 8129 Lake Park Drive, was sentenced to serve four years and six months in prison, with a year suspended based on three years of probation. Thomas was convicted of accessory to voluntary manslaughter and a firearms charge by a jury in July. They recommended a sentence of two years and six months for one charge, and three years for the other. As the sentencing judge, Richard B. Potter can lower the sentence, but not raise it.

Charles E. Robinson Jr., 39, died in the street outside his 12844 Cara Drive town house after his roommate, Travis Sentell Massenburg, 23, shot him four times. Thomas was one of three friends of Massenburg’s that taunted him into shooting Robinson after a fight in which Robinson knocked Massenburg to the ground. It was unclear which of the three friends brought the gun to the town house. One of the three also went through Robinson’s pockets as he lay bleeding on the ground, according to past witness testimony.

Thomas’ attorney, William J. Baker, asked the sentencing judge to consider the amount of time Thomas had already served waiting for his trial and sentencing, and to credit him for that time.

Thomas was originally arrested on the same charges, but they were dropped because prosecutors could not provide necessary evidence to the defense in time, Baker said. Thomas was charged again with the same crime the day the original charges were dropped. Thus, Thomas was incarcerated from Oct. 27, 2001 to present.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney D. Scott Bailey argued that there was no legal authority for the judge to credit Thomas with time served on the original charges.

Potter agreed with Bailey. He said he fashioned Thomas’ sentence in an attempt to credit him for the two years he has spent in the Prince William jail.

Thomas addressed the court himself before the sentence was meted out. He apologized for his actions and said that he has learned the consequences of his actions.

“I would never wish death on anyone. I’m just sorry it happened,” Thomas said. “Maybe I could have prevented it. Instead I just sat back and watched. I deserve this time to sit back and think.”

Staff writer Maria Hegstad can be reached at (703) 369-6594.