Trial Date Set for Barbershop Burglars

Three men accused of burglarizing a San Mateo barbershop at gunpoint a year ago will go to trial in March for the alleged crime.

Bryan Deonte Carter, 20, Dedrick Montre Sevier, 22, and Bernard Sims, 18, face charges of robbery, burglary and unlawful possession of a gun in connection with the Dec. 17, 2010 incident at the San Mateo Zoo barbershop, according to prosecutors.

The three are scheduled to go to trial March 5 in San Mateo County Superior Court, after their pretrial conference was held Tuesday and no disposition was reached.

Prosecutors say Carter entered the barbershop and sat down as if awaiting a haircut. At the time, there were six or seven customers inside the shop.

Carter then used his phone to send text messages for about five minutes, before Sevier and Sims, who was a juvenile at the time, came into the shop.

Sevier, according to prosecutors, brandished a Ruger 9MM handgun and shouted that this was "a rip."

He allegedly ordered everyone to get on the ground and to empty their pockets. He said he would kill anyone who tried to hide anything, prosecutors said.

The victims, including the barbers, complied, and turned over their wallets, cash and jewelry.

After collecting the property, the suspects left in a gold-colored car. One of the barbers ran to his own car and followed the suspects.

Simultaneously, the police were called, and managed to catch up to the suspects as they traveled south on U.S. Highway 101.

The suspects turned off at the Ralston Avenue exit in Belmont, and tried to run, prosecutors said.

The gun was tossed onto the freeway, but the suspects were caught, including a woman who had been driving the car, prosecutors said.

Sims has since posted $100,000 bail bond, while Carter and Sevier remain in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail each.