Newton man sentenced to 119 years in prison for robbery and assault

A judge sentenced a Newton man to serve more than a 100 years behind bars for a shooting that nearly killed a 20-year-old man during a robbery. 

A jury convicted Dewayne Chambers in January of first-degree robbery and first-degree assault. Chambers was found guilty of shooting Tyler “Ty” Patrick during a robbery on Jan. 12, 2005.

Circuit Court Judge Lawson Little sentenced Chambers, 21, to serve 99 years in prison for the robbery conviction, and an additional 20 years for the assault conviction. Each conviction will run consecutively.

Allen Mitchell, Chambers’ defense lawyer, said his client faced 10 to 99 years or life for the first-degree robbery conviction and two to 20 years for the first-degree assault conviction, a Class B felony.

“He gave him the max for a first time offender with no previous history,” Mitchell said. “This seems a little extreme.”

Houston County District Attorney Doug Valeska disagreed and said the sentence was appropriate for the crime.

“Judge Lawson Little is a law and order judge,” Little said. “There’s no mercy in his courtroom.”

Valeska said someone convicted of first-degree robbery faces the same punishment as someone charged with murder, rape or kidnapping, which are all Class A felonies. Normally the defendant serves a third of their sentence or 10 years, which ever comes first before they are eligible for parole, Valeska said.

“There are robberies all the time in these communities in this state,” Valeska said. “A robbery is the same punishment as murder.”

Chambers’ co-defendant was also charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault. He was convicted and sentenced to serve 40 years in prison, Valeska said. 

“When a defendant says he’s not guilty, it’s the state’s job to find him guilty,” Valeska said. “The other guy pleaded guilty, admitted his wrong so we didn’t try him.”

For details from the sentence hearing see dothaneagle.com