Craigslist robber sees sentence sliced to 33 years in prison

Man was facing five life terms, gets credit for cooperating

By Michelle Washington
The Virginian-Pilot.

A man who was sentenced to more than five life terms for robbery charges earlier this year will now serve a fraction of that time -33 years - after a judge gave him credit for cooperating with prosecutors.

Marqui L. Clardy, 25, was sentenced in February to five life terms plus 53 years for robbery; gun and conspiracy charges. During his trial, prosecutor Asha Pandya presented evidence that Clardy used Craigslist.org, a Web site for classified ads, to lure his victims and then robbed them at gunpoint of their items.

The circuit judge who sentenced Clardy, Norman A. Thomas, cited Clardy's actions during and after the crimes in imposing the five life terms. The victims were robbed near a college campus and in their homes. Clardy contacted the victims after the robberies threatening to return and after his arrest tried to keep them from coming to court.

Clardy asked Thomas to reconsider the sentence in July, a request that was denied.

But in September, Pandya, the prosecutor, asked Thorn-^ as to reconsider. In her motion, Pandya said Clardy had agreed to. testify against his co-defendant, Phillip Harris, and came to court twice to testify. Harris pleaded guilty after the start of his trial in August when Pandya announced that Clardy would testify.

Harris was sentenced last month to serve 22 years, with another 108 years suspended.

On Friday, Thomas suspended the five life terms of Clardy's sentence, along with 20. years of the remaining time, said commonwealth's attorney's spokeswoman Amanda Howie. That left Clardy with a 33-year sentence. He must remain on good behavior for the rest of his life, pay restitution to his victims and never again use a computer to buy or sell anything;

Clardy declined to comment on Friday, saying he wanted to talk to his lawyer first. His lawyer, Carl LaMondue, said Clardy and his family were "relieved he \yould have a chance of a life outside of prison" once his term has been served.

"He's very relieved there's a light at the end of the tunnel," LaMondue said.

Michelle Washington, (757) 446-2287, michelle.washington@pilot online.com