New Church Man Pleads Guilty to Oak Hall Robbery, Assaulting Officers; Onley Man Sentenced in Construction Fraud Case

By Linda Cicoira

A 44-year-old New Church man pleaded guilty Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court to forcibly robbing a man in the Food Lion parking lot in Oak Hall and assaulting three police officers in February 2025.

Charges of disorderly conduct, shoplifting, and obstruction of justice, all misdemeanors, were not prosecuted against Tristan Conn Bogush, of Dream Park Drive. A short-form presentencing report was ordered. Sentencing was set for September. Bogush could be sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in prison and $10,000 in fines and court costs for the crimes.

According to a summary of the charges, officers arrived at the store around 6 p.m. Feb. 6 after being alerted to a shoplifting. Bogush admitted to taking $54 worth of steaks from the grocery and to robbing Gilberto Bravo Garcia of $10. Bogush was intoxicated and then proceeded to assault the officers, spitting on two of them.

He was ordered to pay restitution to the store.

Defense lawyer Patrick Bales told the court, “He is allergic to alcohol. When he drinks, he breaks out in handcuffs.”

In another case, a 54-year-old Onley man was sentenced to five years in prison with all but a year suspended for felony construction fraud. He was given another six months in jail for a probation violation.

James Winston Scott, of Pennsylvania Avenue, was hoping to get a break and be convicted of a misdemeanor. But he failed to pay off his restitution in accordance with a plea agreement.

At the previous trial, Scott admitted to leaving work incomplete for a Chincoteague woman, despite accepting money from her between June 2023 and February 2024.

Evidence showed the money was for an HVAC system. Scott said he had the unit and would turn it into the Chincoteague Police Department, but he never did.