The three defendants arrested in connection with a Jan. 6 robbery with a sawed-off shotgun in Roslyn waived their preliminary trial today; all of the charges were held, and newer charges were added.
Terrell D. Ross, 19, of the 1400 block of Edgewood Avenue, Roslyn; Leon Wardlaw-Liggins, 18, of Philadelphia; and a 16-year-old man from Philadelphia, whose name was not released but who was identified as Wardlaw-Liggins’ brother, sat quietly in court in front of District Justice John Kessler; their hands and ankles were shackled.
In addition to robbery, all three defendants were charged with "threatening serious bodily injury," and "threatening to perform any felony in the first or in the second degree."
“There was just one subsection of the robbery that was charged and we charged additional robberies,” Assistant District Attorney John Walko said in the lobby after the preliminary hearing. “It was only one event, but it was more of a legal decision to add additional counts.”
Walko also added charges of "possession of an instrument of crime" to Ross and the 16-year-old — who is being charged as an adult.
The defendants allegedly flagged down a motorist in the corner of Patane and Arline avenues in Roslyn and robbed the complainant at gunpoint.
According to Walko, Wardlaw-Liggins was the one who robbed the motorist; the defendants then allegedly hid the sawed-off shotgun in a barbeque grille at Ross’ home in the 1400 block of Edgewood Avenue. Walko said that Ross admitted to brining the shotgun into Abington.
The defendants’ bail was reduced from $100,000 cash to $50,000 cash bail.
“At this point, we’re confident that none of them will be able to make $50,000 bail,” Walko said. “We take a lot of things into consideration when we make that decision. They don’t have serious prior records, they both have established connections to the area, and are not a flight risk — and it’s not a low bail.”
Walko also said that the defendants have been cooperative. All gave written admissions to the police involving their respective roles in the robbery, and all are consistent, Walko said.
“The first inkling of remorse is taking responsibility for their actions,” he said. “By not having a hearing today … it seems like they are taking responsibility.”
Arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 29 — and Walko said the defendants will likely waive that.
Attorney Thomas Carluccio represented all three defendants; each will likely have his own attorney as the process moves forward.
