NORWICH – A man who was accused of stealing more than $1,000 worth of baby formula – with the help of his girlfriend – was sentenced to prison on Monday by Judge Frank B. Revoir, Jr. in Chenango County Court.
26-year-old Mark G. Grassi of Endicott and his girlfriend, 20-year-old Casey B. Flanders of Endicott, were arrested on July 18, 2014 at approximately 2 p.m. by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for grand larceny in the fourth degree and conspiracy in the fifth degree.
Sheriff's Office deputies arrested the couple following a traffic stop on state Highway 12 in the Town of Oxford.
It was alleged Grassi and Flanders stole more than $1,000 worth of baby formula from Walmart in the Town of Norwich on July 15, 2014.
The couple was initially arraigned in the Town of Norwich Court after their arrest and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 property bond.
According to the Broome County Sheriff's Office, Flanders was transferred to the Broome County Correctional Facility on July 22, 2014 because she had warrant out of the Town of Chenango in Broome County for petit larceny. She was released at a later date for reasons that are unknown.
Grassi was released on July 25, 2014 when Flanders posted his $5,000 property bond, but he was remanded to the Broome County jail after he allegedly committed more crimes in Johnson City on Aug. 28, 2014. He was arrested by the Broome County Sheriff's Office for the class E felony of grand larceny in the fourth degree and petit larceny.
On Oct. 2, 2014, Flanders allegedly tried to visit Grassi at the Broome County jail using her sister's name and credentials.
Authorities said Flanders was trying to conceal her identity because she was still wanted by Chenango County for charges related to the alleged baby formula theft.
When the Broome County jail discovered her true identity, Flanders was remanded to the Broome County jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail for the class A misdemeanor of criminal impersonation and also held on the warrants out of Chenango County.
Grassi and Flanders were arraigned for two counts of the class E felony of grand larceny in the fourth degree and two counts of the class a misdemeanor of petit larceny on Dec. 12, 2014 in Chenango County Court. They both pleaded not guilty.
Grassi and Flanders were remanded back to the Broome County jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.
Both told their public defenders they were interested in drug treatment court.
