Two plead guilty in alleged home invasion, attack

Two Morgan City men pleaded guilty last week for their roles in an alleged home invasion and attack in January.
Preston J. Wade, 25, and Calab L. Mitchell, 20, both of Morgan City, pleaded guilty Sept. 9 to charges in connection with a January incident on La. 182 in Morgan City.
Wade pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, while Mitchell pleaded guilty to unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, according to Assistant District Attorney Anthony Saleme and St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court records.
Wade, Mitchell and Blaise K. Crane, 21, of Franklin, were arrested Jan. 2 after Morgan City police officers responded to a home on La. 182 in regard to a complaint of a battery. Officers spoke with a victim with lacerations to the face and neck, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
The victim and a witness said three men entered the victim’s house while in the presence of a 5-year-old girl, Blair said. The three men attacked the victim and struck the victim with an iron box and wooden step stool before leaving the home, Blair said.
Investigators located the three suspects on Arkansas Street. The suspects were identified as Mitchell, Crane and Wade.
Police arrested Mitchell on the charges of home invasion in the presence of a juvenile and aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon. Wade was arrested on the charges of home invasion in the presence of a juvenile, domestic abuse child endangerment, and aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon.
Crane was arrested on the charges of home invasion in the presence of a juvenile and aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon. He still faces charges in the case, Saleme said.
Mitchell was sentenced to six years in prison at hard labor on the unauthorized entry charge. However, a judge suspended the prison time and placed him on three years of supervised probation. On the conspiracy charge, Mitchell was sentenced to one year in prison with credit given for time served.
Wade was sentenced to four years hard labor on the battery charge and a suspended sentence of six years hard labor and four years of probation on the unauthorized entry charge. The sentences will run consecutively, Saleme said.