Breaking Fredericksburg Store's Glass Door Leads To Felony Charges: Sheriff

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — A 35-year-old Stafford man was arrested for breaking the glass door of a Fredericksburg convenience store with a concrete block early Tuesday morning, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.

Around 4:16 a.m., a sheriff's deputy responded to the City Mart 101 Forbes St., after the store's burglary alarm being activated, according to the incident report. The deputy found that the front glass door had broken but that it was not completely broken through.

"Through surveillance video of the business, a suspect description was obtained. In the video, the suspect was seen throwing a concrete block against the door," according to the report. "The suspect then pulled the door trying to open it. A suspect matching the description of the male in the video was located on Forbes Street near Harrell Road. The suspect was taken into custody without incident."

The suspect, who was identified as Ruddy Sejas of Stafford, was charged with attempted breaking and entering, felony vandalism, and public intoxication, according to the sheriff's office. He was then held on a secured bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

On Tuesday morning, Sejas was arraigned in Stafford General District Court and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for 1 p.m. on Nov. 13, according to court records.

The attempted breaking and entering charge, which is a Class 5 felony, is the most serious of the three charges Sejas faces. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison, under the Code of Virginia. However, the judge trying the case could opt for a lower penalty, such as up to 12 months in jail and/or fines of up to $2,500.

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The destruction of property charge is a Class 6 felony, which carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison or up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500, under Virginia law.

The public intoxication charge is a Class 4 misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine of up to $250 and up to 30 days in jail, according to the state code. Following his arraignment, Sejas was released on a summons.

When Sejas was arrested on Tuesday, the sheriff's office also cited him with an additional intoxication in public charge related to an incident that had occurred on Monday, according to court records. Sejas is due back in court at 1 p.m. on Nov. 6 for a preliminary hearing in connection to this additional charge.