AUBURN - A Dryden man was sentenced in Cayuga County Court Thursday to three to nine years in prison for stealing more than $56,000 in cash and property from C&M Transportation in Moravia.

Ricky Predmore Jr., 21, of 76 W. Main St., Dryden, was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison to run consecutively with his current two- to six-year prison term for a burglary committed in Tompkins County. He was also ordered to pay $54,000 in restitution.

Predmore pleaded guilty in June to one count of second-degree grand larceny, admitting that he and his uncle, David Wacht, broke into C&M's safe on Dec. 27 and stole the owner's life savings. The two men later split the money.

Wacht pleaded guilty on March 28 in exchange for his testimony against Predmore and was later sentenced to one to three years in prison.

Defense attorney Robert Bahr argued that Predmore's prison sentence should run concurrent with the term he is currently serving - that is, he would serve both terms at the same time - because, Bahr said, Predmore has had a difficult life and had, up until recently, been law abiding.

Bahr said that Predmore, as a child, lived in homes immersed in violence, didn't have a criminal record until 2007 and that he was employed prior to his incarceration. In prison he is actively pursuing his GED, would like to join the military upon his release and has a young child, Bahr said.

“This is a case where an individual fell off the tracks but is now back in the right direction,” Bahr said.

Additionally, Bahr said his co-defendant was sentenced to fewer years in prison.

Cayuga County Court Judge Thomas Leone said that a difficult childhood is no excuse for criminal activity. In fact, he said he was considering giving Predmore more time in prison.

Also in court:

• Kevin Hutchings, 17, of 15 Cady St., Auburn, pleaded not guilty to nine counts of felonies and misdemeanors stemming from three alleged burglaries August 2007 and January 2008.

Hutchings is charged with one count of second-degree burglary, two counts of third-degree burglary, one count of fourth-degree conspiracy, one count of fifth-degree conspiracy, one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of petit larceny.

He is accused of entering a home on Dayton Street in Auburn Aug. 27, 2007, stealing an iPod, an iPod player, a lacrosse stick, a bag, a digital camera and a charger for the digital camera. He also allegedly committed burglaries on Jan. 18 on Shearin Street in Owasco, where he stole an arc welder, a leaf blower, a chainsaw and other items, and on Rockingham Road in Sennett, where he stole a generator.

Leone set bail in the amount of $2,500 cash, $5,000 bond. Hutchings faces up to 15 years in prison for the top count.

• Joel Gusman, 44, of 230 Genesee St., Apt. 14, Auburn, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of driving while intoxicated and a traffic infraction.

According to District Attorney Jon Budelmann, Gusman has three prior felony DWI convictions - the most recent of which was in 2003 - and one misdemeanor conviction of driving while ability impaired.

Leone set bail in the amount of $10,000 cash or bond.

• Cheryl Rivers, 46, of 521 Madison St., Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree criminal possession of a narcotic drug and one count of first-degree introduction of prison contraband.

Rivers admitted she brought heroin into the Auburn Correctional Facility June 29 with the intent to sell it to a prison inmate.

Leone promised Rivers a sentence of no more than four years in state prison for the first count - the maximum sentence is 12 years - and two to four years for the second count to run concurrent and three years post-release supervision. Rivers was prosecuted under a prosecutor's information, also referred to as a superior court information, rather than having the charge being presented to a grand jury.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net