Three defendants seek jury trials in Accomack Circuit Court

By Linda Cicoira

Three defendants associated with different cases asked for jury trials when they were arraigned Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court.

Luis Oliverio Bamaca Gamboa, of Accomac, pleaded not guilty to counts of forcible rape and forcible sodomy of a helpless victim. The crimes occurred between Aug. 10 and Sept. 1, 2022. A trial was set for April 19 and 20.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan told Judge W. Revell Lewis that no plea offers have been made in the case.

Forty-three-year-old Jeffery Joseph Alther, a construction worker, who lives on Shields Bridge Road in Belle Haven, pleaded not guilty to March 19, 2022 counts of malicious maiming and strangulation involving a Bloxom woman. “There have been plea discussions,” Morgan said. A jury trial was tentatively set for May 25.

Thirty-six-year-old Cari Lynn Johnson, of Blue Heron Drive in Horntown, pleaded not guilty to counts of robbing Brenda Morales Hernandez of an undisclosed amount of cash and use of a firearm in the offense. The incident occurred on Oct. 24, 2022.

.