Document text
53 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, January 28, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 28, 2004 Medford man gets minimum sentence in ’03 break-in case By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune Robbing a neighbor after breaking into his apartment and spraying him with WD-40 will land a Medford man in prison for nearly six years. Michael Ray Provencio, 21, of the 2000 block of Table Rock Road, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court to a charge of second-degree robbery. Judge Ray White ordered Provencio to spend five years and 10 months in prison — the minimum sentence allowed under Measure 11, Oregon’s mandatory sentencing law. Provencio likely did not know that a neighbor was home the evening of July 21 when he cut through the man’s screen door with a pair of scissors, said Tim Barnack, deputy district attorney for Jackson County. "He was just looking for anything to steal," Barnack said. The apartment’s resident walked into the living room when he heard Provencio moving around, Barnack said. Provencio threatened the man with the scissors and sprayed him with a can of WD-40 that he found on a counter. Advertisement Provencio took the man’s wallet — containing about $80 — and car keys, which were on the kitchen counter. Before fleeing, he tied the man’s hands with a shirt and tried to gag him with a towel, Barnack said. Provencio did not steal the man’s car, however. Investigators found it had only been moved to a different spot in the apartment complex’s parking lot. Police initially had difficulty linking a suspect to the case because the Laotian victim could not speak English well, and he described Provencio as black, Barnack said. But about a week after the robbery, someone called police after finding two wallets — one containing Provencio’s identification and the other containing the victim’s — in a field off Ross Lane. Fingerprints on the WD-40 can also were matched to Provencio, Barnack said. Provencio has remained in jail since his arrest on Aug. 4. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss additional charges of first-degree robbery and burglary, second-degree kidnapping, fourth-degree assault, harassment and unlawful use of a vehicle. Barnack said he believed Provencio may have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the crime. Provencio had been arrested in May on charges of possession of methamphetamine, first- degree criminal trespass, resisting arrest, harassment and interfering with a police officer. That case was dismissed Tuesday. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers