CANTON — Potential life in prison was put on the table for a Norfolk man who is accused of having fractured his ex-girlfriend’s jaw in a fight at a Norwood gas station.
Wayne R. Henry Jr., 40, of 6604 State Route 56, Apt. 2, currently an inmate at the St. Lawrence County jail, pleaded not guilty to the indictment charging him with felony second-degree assault and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.
While the indictment charges on March 24, in the village of Norwood, Mr. Henry caused serious injury to Brenda Villnave intentionally, while acting in a manner injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17, Norwood Village police gave a little more detail.
Originally only charged with second-degree assault, village police said the incident is alleged to have taken place in the A Plus and Sunoco gas station parking lot at 72 S. Main St. They said, at the time of Mr. Henry’s arrest, that he struck an ex-girlfriend on the face and fractured her jaw during a domestic argument.
As Assistant District Attorney Joshua A. HaberkornHalm and Defense attorney Stephen L. Buzzell discussed Mr. Henry’s potential for release, Mr. HaberkornHalm said that Mr. Henry had four prior felony convictions, two of which were violent. He also said that Mr. Henry had previous parole revocations and had failures to appear at court dates.
Moreover, he faces being convicted as a second felony offender, making prison mandatory, Mr. HaberkornHalm said.
Attached to Mr. Henry’s indictment was a prior felony conviction statement charging that on Dec. 20, 2013, in St. Lawrence County Court he had been convicted of felony fifth-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Mr. Buzzell told County Judge Jerome J. Richards that Mr. Henry had ties to the community, including a job and a son, both in Potsdam.
Judge Richards sat quietly at the bench for a while, then, looking up, said he had been calculating Mr. Henry’s convictions and said there is a potential that he could face life in prison as a persistent felony offender, something he said needed to be ironed out between the attorneys as it will greatly impact any action going forward in Mr. Henry’s case.
He was returned to St. Lawrence County jail, where he is being held on $10,000 cash bail or $15,000 bond. Two no-contact orders of protection were issued in favor of Ms. Villnave and Madeline French.