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Robber handed 3-year sentence
By JAMIE MALERNEE © St. Petersburg Times, published January 5, 2001 BROOKSVILLE -- The last of four men who robbed a jewelry store owner of $250,000 in gold and diamonds last year was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison. Charles E. Heitfield, 18, of Gilchrist County was sentenced by Circuit Judge Jack Springstead after pleading guilty to reduced charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. His plea comes a little more than a month after the other men accused of the crime confessed, and two of them told investigators that Heitfield was the lead gunman. Prosecutor Marlene Wells said the state was happy with the plea deal even though Heitfield could have received life in prison if convicted of the original armed robbery charges. "They were wearing masks, so there was the issue as to whether the victim could identify the person with the gun. He couldn't," Wells said. "The victim is happy with this (outcome)." According to reports, Heitfield and the three others went to the house of Peter Ganosellis, 7093 Owl Road in Spring Hill, one February evening and waited for Ganosellis, who owns a jewelry store and pawnshop in Pasco County, to return from work. Edward A. Hamblin, 29, of 16154 Melbourne St. south of Brooksville dropped off Heitfield and another man, Ronald S. Alloway Jr., 23, of 1441 Diane St. in Spring Hill near the house, where they hid in the woods. Hamblin then drove away. The fourth man, Brian J. Batten, 19, of 19146 West St. just outside Brooksville also remained in the van. The four communicated with two-way radios. When Ganosellis came homeabout 6:40 p.m., he got out of his truck and left a silver-colored briefcase in the front seat. The case contained $250,000 in gold and diamonds he planned to sell to a business contact that evening, a report said. As he got to his front door, Ganosellis heard a noise behind him coming from his pickup. When he turned around, he saw two masked figures in camouflage coming toward him. They had a gun and his briefcase. The men then took off. Hamblin, Batten and Alloway made deals with the state in November. Hamblin was given two years in prison for robbery and conspiracy charges. Alloway was given 21/2 years in prison for the same charges, as well as counts of criminal mischief and battery stemming from unrelated cases. Batten, who was the lookout, got two years of house arrest.
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