Bellefonte — BELLEFONTE — Dmitriy Litvinov, the most violent in a band of four men whose spree of violent robberies and burglaries rattled the community for two years, was sentenced Friday to almost 40 years in a state prison.
Litvinov, 25, and two others — Maksim Illarionov and Anatoliy Veretnov — were convicted in June on almost all counts in the spree that included the robbery of the Centre Hall Dollar General, a Uni-Mart and The Bar in Boalsburg; the carjacking of a restaurant delivery driver; and burglaries of private residences. A fourth defendant, Alexei Semionov, pleaded guilty to his role in the crimes.
Litvinov was the last to receive his punishment. Centre County President Judge Thomas King Kistler gave him a total of 39 years and eight months to 79 years and four months. Litvinov will get credit for 934 days he’s spent in the Centre County Correctional Facility, which will knock off about two-and-a-half years from his sentence.
District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller has said Litvinov was the most violent one in the group.
He “was caught on tape bragging about enjoying beating people with his gun while he robbed them,” Parks Miller said. “During one kidnapping, the victim was compliant as Litvinov tormented and beat him with a gun while laughing and showing off for the other kidnappers for sport. We hope this sentence contributes to the healing for the victims.”
Illarionov, who authorities have said was the ringleader of the crime spree, was sentenced earlier this summer to 37 years and three months. Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal weapons charges and is serving his time at the state prison in Somerset.
Veretnov was given 30 to 61 years in state prison and is asking a judge for a new trial. His attorney said last week that his client was not involved in some of the other crimes in which the other defendants participated, and that evidence related to those crimes prejudiced the jury.
Semionov was sentenced in February to at least 36 years in prison.
Kistler said Litvinov’s sentence addressed the gravity and seriousness of the crimes.
Parks Miller asked that the counts be run consecutive to one another, which would have resulted in more prison time.
Defense attorney Jonathan Sobel asked the judge to consider running some counts concurrently, otherwise Litvinov would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Sobel withdrew as his attorney for any appeals, and the Public Defender’s Office will take over as counsel.
Mike Dawson can be reached at 231-4616. Follow him on Twitter @MikeDawsonCDT.
