Lynn robbery suspect pleads guilty to lesser charge

SALEM – A Lynn laborer who had just lost his job and been evicted from his apartment had a “momentary lack of judgment,” his lawyer said, when he robbed an 85-year-old city man of his wallet containing $20 last summer.David Michael Pickering, 29, last known address of 22 Ashton Terrace, #2, Lynn, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Salem Superior Court to a reduced charge of larceny of a person before Judge John T. Lu.Pickering was placed on three years of probation at which time he was ordered to get his General Equivalency Diploma (GED), complete 100 hours of community service, must actively look for a job and write a letter of apology to the victim.The judge agreed to follow the recommendation offered by Assistant District Attorney Michael Sheehan and defense attorney Alice Jayne.Sheehan said the charge arises out of an incident in Lynn on July 13 at around 9:40 a.m., when the 85-year-old senior citizen said he was at the intersection of Essex and Lincoln streets when a man, later identified as Pickering, came up, reached into his back pocket, grabbed his wallet and fled.The victim immediately flagged down a patrol cruiser in the area, informing them of the incident and providing a description of the thief. He said he was walking back from the Union Variety store toward his home when the thief, wearing a white tank top, grabbed his wallet and ran down Chestnut Street.A few hour later, police combing the area came upon Pickering running down Ashton Terrace and recognized him as a man they saw earlier running down a nearby street.Police brought the victim to the scene a few minutes later where he immediately recognized Pickering, saying to police, “That’s the (expletive) guy! I want a piece of him.”Pickering was placed under arrest and made a statement admitting to the robbery.Sheehan said prosecutors agreed to the plea deal because Pickering was “remorseful” during his interview with officers and that the victim felt he should not serve time, but instead be ordered to do community service.Jayne emphasized that the recommendation and conditions had been hammered out and were “appropriate” to the facts.She said that the incident can be characterized as a “split decision” and a “momentary lack of judgement” on the part of her client who had just been laid off and evicted from his home.Jayne pointed out to Lu that her client has been trying to take responsibility for his actions from the beginning and she asked Lu to adopt the recommended penalty, which the judge did.Pickering was indicted by an Essex County grand jury last October and has been free on his own personal recognizance since being arraigned.