Arsonist given 28-year sentence
New York native Mark E. Lewin, pled guilty to five counts of aggravated arson and three counts of simple arson in Fifth District Court Oct. 1.
Fifth District Attorney William R. Coenen Jr. said Lewin was living at 504 Spencer St., in Rayville during the time the fires occurred. The fires that Lewin pled guilty to starting occurred from early February 2007 through the end of March 2007. Judge Glen Strong sentenced Lewin to 28 years in the state penitentiary. Under Louisiana law, Lewin will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
An exhaustive investigation by the Rayville Police Department resulted in the arrest of Lewin.
“Chief Willie Robinson and his officers at the Rayville Police Department conducted a text book police investigation,” Assistant District Attorney, Doug Wheeler, who handled the prosecution of Lewin said. He added that “the Rayville Police Department developed a suspect out of a case that initially had no known suspects and no eyewitnesses.”
After Lewin was developed as a suspect, Chief Robinson asked him to come in for questioning. Following a brief discussion, Robinson knew they had the right man.
Lewin had been previously convicted of a similar crime in New York and was arrested for setting a similar fire in Jackson, Miss. Billy Coenen wanted to congratulate Chief Willie Robinson and the Rayville Police Department as well as Ric Abbott of the Louisiana State Fire Marshall’s Office for their work on the investigation. Coenen also wanted to thank Assistant District Attorney Doug Wheeler for his work on the case and District Attorney’s Office investigator Wyatt Lobrano for his work.
In addition to the guilty plea and sentence of Mark Lewin, 12 other defendants entered pleas of guilty on felony cases on Oct. 1. The convictions ranged from armed robbery to felony theft.
One of the notable cases that resulted in guilty pleas was Jawanna Davis, 15 Cook Rd, Delhi. Davis pled guilty to armed robbery and aggravated battery. The armed robbery conviction stemmed from the robbery of Cindy Achord at Bud’s Mini Mart on Oct. 11, 2007. Davis who was 19 at the time of the robbery received a 15-year prison sentence. He will have to serve 85 percent of the sentence.
Other convictions were Rayville resident Antjuan Ellis who pleaded guilty to simple burglary and received an eight-year sentence; James Bullock of Bastrop who pled guilty to simple burglary and received a seven-year sentence; Larry Wayne Harris of Delhi who pled guilty to failure to register as a sex offender; and Shelton Mosely of Rayville who pled guilty to aggravated burglary and will be sentenced of Nov. 13.