Suspect pleads to assault charge
By John Joyce
Published in News on October 5, 2012 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/TROY HERRING
Bakari Teachy is seen in Wayne County Superior Court on Thursday. Teachy pleaded to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with the break-in, assault and robbery of George and Mary Peele.
One of the men involved in a November 2010 home invasion and assault on an elderly couple has pleaded to one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Bakari Teachy, 22, was sentenced Thursday in Wayne County Superior Court to a prison term of two to three years after a plea agreement was reached between his attorney and the District Attorney's office on the conspiracy count.
On Nov. 4, 2010, two men, Travis Harris and Alphonso Mack, both since sentenced to decades-long prison terms, forced their way into the home of George and Mary Peele and beat, tied up and robbed the couple, both in their late 70s.
Both men testified that Teachy, who previously rented property from the Peeles and had been in their home before, put them up to it.
Teachy pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge rather than face a trial which, if he had been found guilty, could have resulted in a sentence of 20 or more years.
After two years of healing physical and emotional wounds, sitting through a trial and two plea agreement hearings and wondering if the man who set them up to be assaulted and robbed would ever be able to harm them again, the Peeles can now rest easier knowing all of the suspects in their assault are behind bars.
"There wasn't a whole lot of evidence," said Darryl Peele, George and Mary's son, who said the family was "somewhat pleased" with the ruling.
In addition to the conspiracy sentence, Teachy will also serve a two-year sentence for probation violation.