The two men arrested by Gloucester police after they boarded and tried to rob a sailboat last summer while flying a pirates flag from atop their own vessel were handed suspended jail terms Monday in Gloucester District Court yesterday.
Scott Stanton, 30, of Echo Road in Gloucester and Steven Jette, 37, of Lafayette Road in Ipswich both pleaded guilty to felony charges of breaking and entering in the nighttime.
Judge Joseph Jennings handed Jette a one-year jail sentence, suspended through Feb. 3, 2014, while handing Stanton a year's suspended sentence and placing him on probation until Feb. 3, 2013. In essence, Stanton's suspended jail term covers six months, which he has already served in Middleton Jail awaiting disposition of the case.
Police arrested the pair last August after they boarded and tried to rob a sailboat moored in Gloucester's Inner Harbor.
According to police, Stanton and Jette piloted a 20-foot motorboat flying the "skull and crossbones" off the center console.
They pulled their vessel alongside Beverly resident Douglas Campbell's sailboat, and stepped on board, according to police. Campbell told authorities that one man had tried to enter his boat, but fled when Campbell shined a flashlight in the man's face. Then one of the men told Campbell they were armed.
"We've got a gun, and if you come any closer, we will use it," one of the men said, according to the incident report.
Stanton and Jette sped off after that, but were found in Pirates Cove by the U.S. Coast Guard and police officers
Police found no weapons their vessel, and Campbell reported that nothing was stolen from his.
Steven Fletcher may be contacted at 1-978-283-7000 x3455, or sfletcher@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stevengdt.
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