GRAMERCY — A Gramercy man was sentenced to 10 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to a simple burglary charge in March.

Benzel Young, 27, was ordered to serve his sentence at the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

On Dec. 28, 2016, detectives with the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a Lutcher residence in reference to a burglary.

Upon arrival, detectives made contact with members of the Lutcher Police Department and the homeowner. Detectives learned the suspect had removed a window unit from the residence and made entry.

While canvassing the scene, detectives were alerted to an area inside of the residence that had been tampered with.

The homeowner noticed miscellaneous items including jewelry were missing.

Detectives were able to obtain scientific evidence to submit to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for DNA analysis.

While waiting on the conclusions from the crime lab, detectives learned that within a small margin of time following the burglary, Young sold multiple items identical to the items taken during the burglary.

At that point, a warrant was obtained for Young’s arrest.

Further crime lab testing matched Young’s DNA to a sample taken from the interior of the residence. Young was subsequently arrested on a simple burglary charge and booked into the St. James Parish Detention Center.

On March 12, 2019, Young pled guilty as charged.

Young appeared before the Honorable Judge Jessie LeBlanc Monday for sentencing. St. James Parish Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig prosecuted the case.

In other 23^rd Judicial Court news, Oronde Williams, 22, of Gramercy, pled guilty to illegal possession of stolen things last week.

Williams was arrested in Ascension Parish in November on illegal possession of stolen things over $25,000 (felony).

He was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 18 months supervised probation.

Assistant district attorneys Joni Buquoi and Leila Braswell prosecuted the case, which was overseen by Judge Jason Verdigets.