21 going on 10 years

PALMER — A Valley man arrested for robbing his marijuana dealer was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison.

Jeremy Kosbruk, 21, was convicted at trial of robbery, burglary and assault that took place in November 2007.

In asking for a 10-year term, prosecutor Alison Collins pointed to Kosbruk’s criminal history.

“He was out of jail just three months before he picked up this new case,” Collins said.

She also pointed to his lack of remorse.

“He’s blamed others for what’s happened, not taking any responsibility for himself.”

She said Kosbruk put a fair amount of planning into the robbery, taking the gun from his wife before he went to the apartment on Cottle Loop. He put the pistol to the victim’s head, she said, and got some marijuana.

But then, she said, he, “decided he hadn’t gotten what he’d wanted,” and came back, kicking in the door and getting into a fight, during which one of the victims managed to wrestle the gun away from him, firing rounds in the building’s parking lot.

“Though the victims, given what they were involved in, may not have been what’s referred to as ‘good victims’ or ‘clean victims’ this was a very dangerous situation for them and the community,” Collins said, pointing out that the situation put the apartment’s neighbors at risk.

For his part, Kosbruk’s attorney Gregory Parvin pointed to his client’s youth.

“I would ask you to not overlook the fact that Mr. Kosbruk is 21 years old,” he said.

He pointed out that Kosbruk’s co-defendant, Matthew Peterson, was released for time-served, having been allowed to plead to a misdemeanor, on conditions that he testify against Kosbruk.

Collins, in response, said that the plea deal was not a statement from the state that the charges weren’t serious, but came more because it wasn’t at all clear, if Peterson even knew what was going to happen when the two men stopped by the apartment.

Parvin also pointed out that Kosbruk has a daughter and a very sick grandmother who helped raised him and may not last long enough to see him free again.

Kosbruk offered a brief statement of his own.

“I’d just like to apologize for all my actions I did out there,” he said. He then spoke of his daughter and grandmother, saying, “They’re going through a hard time and I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be in here for awhile.”

Superior Court Judge Eric Smith eventually decided on a 10-year term for Kosbruk.

“He’s young enough that I have to consider rehabilitation,” Smith said. Then, turning to Kosbruk, he said he knew the sentence was hefty and, “I regret any impact that has on your ability to see your grandmother.”

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.