Anatoliy Veretnov, one of the three men convicted this summer on charges of armed robbery, criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, among others, is looking for a new case.
Veretnov, 28, of Bellefonte, is now requesting through his lawyer that his case should be retried without the other two defendants, Maksim Illarionov, 23, of State College, and Dmitriy Litvinov, 25, of Bellefonte —who were also found guilty in the trial, according to court documents filed Sept. 14.
The men that were sentenced were part of a burglary and robbery spree where stolen handguns were brandished along with an AK-47 rifle and an SKS rifle with a bayonet on the end, as previously reported.
The events spanned from late 2009 to March 2010 when the men were arrested and charged.
Veretnov’s main argument for an appeal comes from information, specifically cell phone records of defendants Litvinov and Illarionov, which would not have been admissible in court in a separate trial of Veretnov, according to court documents.
But District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said she is not worried about Veretnov’s requests for an appeal.
“Veretnov is going through the appeal process which is an ordinary and standard procedure,” Parks Miller wrote in an email Thursday.
“Everyone has a right to an appeal post-conviction and we are not concerned by his exercise of this right.”
Veretnov was sentenced July 20 to spend 30 years and six months to 60 years and six months in prison, as previously reported.
Veretnov’s attorney, Ronald McGlaughlin, was not reached for comment by press time Thursday.
