An Oxford teen who admitted to breaking into two publicly-owned buildings and setting a fire in one of them will not face adult court for his crimes.
Joel Mason Thomas, 16, pleaded responsible as a juvenile last week to three counts of breaking and entering along with one count of arson in Oakland County Circuit Court’s Family Division.
Accepting responsibility as a juvenile is the equivalent of pleading guilty in adult court. Disposition, or sentencing, is set for Thursday, Aug. 24.
Thomas broke into the Oxford Public Library on April 21 and the Oxford school district’s maintenance garage off Pontiac St. on May 6 and 14. During his last break-in, he set a fire in the garage to destroy any incriminating evidence, a blaze which caused to date $212,000 in damage, according to Bruce Biebuyck, maintenance supervisor for Oxford Schools.
On Tuesday, Biebuyck said that damage figure will increase as there’s still repair work to be done inside the garage and ruined supplies to be replaced.
Circuit Judge Martha D. Anderson denied prosecutors? request Thursday to have the arson of real property charge (for an unoccupied building) against Thomas waived to adult court.
‘She’s a great judge, I just disagree with this particular decision,? said Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Keri Middleditch. ‘My position and my office’s position was that the best interest of the public as well as the juvenile would be best served by the adult court.?
Middleditch said adult court ‘would have better addressed the protection of the public? than juvenile court.
If Thomas had been charged and convicted in adult court, she said he would have been sentenced to jail or a short prison term, then the ‘court could have maintained probation over him for at least five years.?
As a juvenile, the court has jurisdiction over him until age 19, but prosecutors could seek to extend it until Thomas is 21 if they’re not satisfied with his progress.
Although the judge has a number of options available to her for sentencing, Middleditch said, ‘I’m going to advocate a residential treatment program (for Thomas),? which could take place in either Children’s Village in Pontiac, where Thomas is currently being held, or at a facility elsewhere in the state.
That way ‘we can assure the public is safe? because he’s locked up, but he’s also ‘getting the programs that would best address his set of issues.?
However, given Thomas ‘didn’t have any remorse? regarding his actions, other than regretting he was caught, Middleditch said, ‘I’m not sure that there’s any programs out there that teach a child or young adult in this case, he’s nearly 17, remorse.?
‘I’m not sure what programs are out there to adequately address his particular set of issues. I hope there’s one, but I don’t know of one.?
Court testimony last week revealed Thomas freely admitted to psychologist Dr. Bernard Gaulier all the weapons and explosive devices he was building in the basement of his parents? home on Pontiac St. in Oxford.
Although Gaulier admitted ‘there’s no way to know if (juvenile programming’s) going to work,? he also noted, ‘There’s still a chance at rehabilitation.?
Gaulier based this opinion on the fact that Thomas? ‘personality profile is not fully crystalized.? Given his maturity level, he can still change in the doctor’s opinion.
He said right now, there are ‘two Joels? ? the one who committed the illegal acts and the one who has the ‘capacity to relate well to peers and adults.?
‘Which Joel will develop, emerge ultimately? That’s not known,? Gaulier said. ‘There’s still the capacity to be either one or the other.?
Despite his crimes and anti-social behavior, it was noted that Thomas is intelligent and ‘still has a strong bond with his family.? His parents expressed their willingness to continue supporting him and cooperating with the authorities including whatever the court decides is next.
Thomas was also depicted as a ‘regular? and ‘active? member of his church, Christ the King, where he played bass in the youth band.
Pastor Bob Holt, of Christ the King, testified that he’s known Thomas since his parents adopted him as an infant in 1989 and he’s willing to continue supporting him as his spiritual advisor and remain an active part of the teen’s life.
Describing him as a ‘polite young man,? Gaulier noted Thomas has the capacity to form friendships and ‘good, warm bonds? with people.
But these positive attributes didn’t change Middleditch’s view of Thomas or the fact that his actions were ‘well thought out? and ‘not impulsive.?
‘That’s why I find this case so disturbing,? she told this reporter. ‘With kids we have a lot of impulsive actions, that’s what kids do, they just don’t think about it. This is not the case with Joel Mason Thomas. This kid was a calculating, planning perpetrator of these crimes.?
The whole reason Thomas set the fire in the school maintenance garage was to destroy any evidence that could connect him to the breaking and entering, according to Oakland County Sheriff’s Det. Guy Hubble.
Hubble testified that when Thomas? laytex gloves broke, he realized he leaving fingerprints everywhere. So, poured a can of gasoline on a bag full of blueprints inside the garage and used the aerosol can and matches he brought with him as a makeshift torch to start the fire.
‘It’s particularly disturbing for someone at his age to recognize that and really think nothing of committing another more serious felony to conceal the last one,? Middleditch said. ‘It gives me great concern because it’s certainly not the norm when it comes to deliquent behavior.?