Woman sentenced for Dunkirk thefts, credit card misuse

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Veronica Ramos-Guido, 22, of Lanham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to robbery, theft less than $500 and one count of credit card misuse for taking part in robbing and stealing two purses from two women in the Dunkirk Town Center parking lot and then using the stolen credit cards.

Her brother, Raul Ramos-Guido, 23, of Lanham was indicted in the Calvert County Circuit Court in the November 2008 incident were one woman's purse was stolen off of her arm while she was entering her vehicle and another purse was stolen from a vehicle through a smashed window, court records stated.

After Ramos-Guido entered her plea, Calvert County Circuit Court Judge Marjorie Clagett sentenced her according to the recommendations set forth in the plea agreement.

Clagett sentenced Ramos-Guido to 10 years with all but one suspended on the conspiracy to robbery count, and two 18-month sentences with all but three months suspended for her other two guilty pleas, all to be served consecutively through home detention.

Cooperating with the state in her brother's case is a condition of Ramos-Guido's sentence, Clagett said. If she chooses not to cooperate, she will be in violation of the court, she said.

"You should have known better," Clagett said. Given the fact that Ramos-Guido has a child younger than 3 years old, "know if you continue on this path, he will be growing up without a mother," she added.

Clagett added that "restitution will be on reserve" for 30 days per the request of Assistant State's Attorney Lisa Ridge. The state has not yet confirmed the amount of restitution payments and whether it would need to be paid back to the victims or the banks involved, Ridge said.

Ramos-Guido's lawyer, John McKenna of Greenbelt, argued that a restitution payment was not part of the plea agreement, but Clagett said the request for restitution is "an element of sentencing."

Ridge reviewed the evidence against Ramos-Guido, which included videos from stores where she was identified as using the stolen credit cards. She admitted driving her brother to the Dunkirk Town Center to rob people and to "using credit cards in Prince George's County, " Ridge said.

Detectives from Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties located Ramos-Guido and impounded the vehicle described by witnesses and found two GPS units in the vehicle that Ramos-Guido said were not hers, according to Ridge.

Prior to sentencing, Ramos-Guido said, "I know it was wrong … I don't want to go through that again."

Ramos-Guido, who has already served 117 days, first in the Calvert County Detention Center and then at home since March 6, will "continue private house arrest," McKenna said.

Her brother, Raul Ramos-Guido, has a circuit court trial date of Aug. 25 for his alleged involvement in the robbery and thefts.

charvat@somdnews.com