June 15, 2012

Jury Convicts Hempstead Man of Violent Robbery, Sexually Abusing Female Victim

Burley faces up to 25 years in prison; female co-defendant’s case is pending

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that a jury has convicted a Hempstead man of robbery, grand larceny, and sexual abuse after he and two others robbed a woman at gunpoint while she sat in her car.

It took a jury about a day to convict Troy Burley, 24 of Robbery in the First Degree, two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree, Robbery in the Third Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, and Forcible Touching. He faces up to 25 years in prison, and is scheduled to be sentenced July 18.

Rice said that at approximately 1 a.m. on November 22, 2010, Burley and two others, one male and one female, approached the female victim while she sat inside her parked car on James LL Burrell in Hempstead. Burley, masked and armed with a sawed-off .22 caliber Marline bolt-action rifle, placed the gun to victim’s head and demanded money. Burley searched the victim’s person and the inside of the car while his female co-defendant, Sherria Felder, 24, of Uniondale, smacked the victim in the head multiple times. The second male subject, as yet unapprehended, stood in front of the vehicle as a lookout.

Burley, after finding about $1,400 under the victim’s seat and stealing her necklace, demanded more money and hit the victim in the face multiple times with the gun. He made the victim lift up her shirt and patted her bra for money, then forced her to lift up her bra. Burley fondled the victim’s breast while pointing the rifle at her head, and then let her leave the scene.

Felder was arrested a short time later around the corner from the robbery entering a Princeton Street home. Burley was found in the basement of the house with a mask on top of his head, the rifle a few feet away, the victim’s necklace in his pocket, and the stolen money under the couch he was sitting on.

Felder is charged with three counts of Robbery in the First Degree, two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree, Robbery in the Third Degree, Criminal Use of a Firearm in the Second Degree, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, and Petit Larceny. She faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Her case is pending, and she is due back in court June 25.

The jury rejected the defense’s claims that Burley wasn’t involved in the robbery and was taking the rap for a friend.

“This was an extremely violent crime committed by dangerous people, and I’m glad that the jury held this defendant accountable,” Rice said. “Although today’s verdict will never undo what happened, I hope that it will provide some solace to the victim.”

Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Stevenson of the County Court Trial Bureau is prosecuting the case for the DA’s Office. Burley is represented by Steve Barnwell, Esq.