Philly man will do county time for role in home invasion
MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A Philadelphia man who testified against a co-defendant and helped gain a conviction in a 2016 home invasion and assault was sentenced to six to 23 months at the county prison with five years of probation Tuesday.
Richard Samuel Johnson, 25, of the 1200 block of East Pike Street, previously entered an open guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to burglary, robbery, and aggravated and simple assault in the Aug. 23 gunpoint robbery and attack at a home on East 25th Street in Chester. He also pleaded guilty to possessing an instrument of crime and firearms not to be carried without a license.
Johnson said during a trial for co-defendant Erinn Howarth before Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge Anthony Scanlon last week that the two planned to rob the victim, her former employer, but did not expect to encounter anyone that day.
Upon their initial arrival, Howarth, 27, also of Philadelphia, was met by two of the victim’s adult daughters. The victim had returned home after a lengthy hospital stay that day and they were helping him to get set up.
One of the daughters said Howarth explained she was looking for her pink bikini. The daughter retrieved the bikini and gave it to Howarth, who put it into a backpack before departing.
Johnson said he and Howarth drove to a Dunkin Donuts and returned to the house later. Seeing the daughter’s cars were gone, he entered the house at the house through a kitchen window and let Howarth in through a door. Both defendants were wearing masks and gloves.
The two then went into the basement and fixed themselves a few drinks from a bar before heading to the second floor, where Johnson said he encountered the male victim.
Johnson said he pointed his .40 caliber Springfield handgun at the victim and took him to a bedroom, where he bound his hands. Johnson then attempted to move a safe from a hall closet, but had difficulty due to its weight.
At one point while working on the safe, Johnson said another of the victim’s daughters who lived with him came home and discovered the intruders. Johnson said he had her lie down and bound her as well, but Howarth, convinced the woman had seen her face and would recognize her, struck the woman several times in the head with the gun.
Howarth also kicked the unconscious, bleeding woman and discussed shooting her through a pillow, according to Johnson.
The female victim, who spent nine days in the hospital, testified that she did not remember the incident, but suffered a head trauma that required 14 stitches and damage to her legs where she was bound.
Johnson said he was able to get the safe out of the house and to his car using a wheelbarrow, leaving Howarth alone in the house for about 10 or 15 minutes.
The male victim testified that he managed to untie himself at one point after not hearing any commotion for some time. As he made his way to the hall, the man said he saw his daughter lying on the floor bleeding. As he attempted to render aid, Howarth returned and tied him up again.
Johnson said Howarth came out of the house and helped him get the safe into the car. The two left the scene, but he had forgotten the backpack in a bedroom.
The victim was later able to free himself again and crawled outside, where he flagged down a neighbor to call 911. Both were transported by ambulance to a hospital. One of the victim’s daughters returned to the home later that night to retrieve some clothing for her father and discovered the backpack, which still contained the pink bikini Howarth had retrieved just hours earlier. Police were able to recover the safe intact when they arrested Johnson and Howarth the next day.
Howarth, represented by defense attorney Michael Malloy, was found guilty of robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, conspiracy to burglary and firearms not to be carried without a license. Sentencing has been set for July 2.
Assistant District Attorney Gina Gorbey did not recommend a sentence for Johnson due to the open nature of the plea, but asked that Scanlon sentence him within the guidelines.
Defense attorney Laurence Anthony Narcisi asked for a county sentence with a significant probation detail, recounting Johnson’s assistance with the conviction, as well as threats he had received.
Johnson told the judge that he was happy to give the commonwealth the tools it needed to secure a conviction and bring some closure to the victims.
“I know that I did the right thing and I hope that the lord may bless these people and that they may bring a bridge of healing in their lives,” he said. “I just hope that in the future I can make a better example for the generations coming before me to not be in these very obscene situations.”
Scanlon noted Johnson had been incarcerated since Aug. 24, but would not get credit for time served under the sentence imposed Tuesday. He said the sentence was appropriate given Johnson’s cooperation and participation in the trial.