Judge Patterson Hands Down Sentences in Several Theft Cases Friday, October 4

Three people caught after allegedly breaking into a barn on Joins Road in February were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday, October 4.
36 year old Andy Joe Certain, 35 year old April Lee Hollingsworth and 53 year old Kelly Lee Hollingsworth appeared before Judge David Patterson. All three entered guilty pleas under negotiated settlements.
Certain pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful possession of a weapon. He received a four year sentence for the burglary and two years on the weapon charge. The two terms are to run concurrently for a total of four years. Certain is to serve at least 30% of the sentence as a range one offender but he has been given jail credit for 167 days. Certain must also forfeit the weapon.
April Hollingsworth pleaded guilty to burglary and received a four year sentence, suspended to probation except for 89 days to serve. She has been given jail credit for 89 days. The sentence is to run consecutive to a case against her in Rutherford County.
Kelly Hollingsworth pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and received a two year suspended sentence to run consecutive to other cases against her.
Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE that Certain and the two Hollingsworth’s allegedly entered the barn on Joins Road through the barn doors and took numerous old and antique farm equipment, valued at $1,500.
According to Sheriff Ray, deputies arrived at the scene before the three intruders left and the stolen property was unloaded from their vehicle and returned to the owner.
36 year old Lisa Michelle Porterfield pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a six year sentence to serve in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The sentence is to run concurrently with a violation of probation case against her in DeKalb County but consecutive to a Warren County violation of probation. She was given credit for 30 days served last November and time served from May 21 to October 4.
Sheriff Ray said that on October 9, 2012 Porterfield allegedly broke into a residence on Campbell Road by kicking in the front door. She allegedly stole from the home a Honda transmission, a battery, push mower, tire and rim, in-door heaters, 13 inch television, a microwave, and several other items with a total value of more than $1,000. The case was investigated by a criminal detective of the sheriff’s department.
A woman accused of vandalism, burglaries, and thefts at a local marina in May received a total sentence of four years .
36 year old Stephanie Lee Vanatta pleaded guilty under a negotiated settlement to two counts of burglary, two counts of auto burglary, one count of theft over $1,000, and one count of vandalism.
She is accused of breaking into and taking items from two pontoon boats, committing vandalism of an automobile, and breaking into and stealing items from two other vehicles at Sligo Marina.
Vanatta received a two year sentence in each of the two burglary cases to run consecutively for a total of four years. She also got a two year sentence in the theft case, a one year term for vandalism and one year in each of the two auto burglary cases but all those sentences are to run concurrently or together with each other and with the burglary cases. Her total sentence is four years.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, May 23 Vanatta allegedly entered a pontoon boat at Sligo Marina and took two fish locators, a tool bag containing miscellaneous tools, a solar battery charger, and an electric fish cleaner all valued at less than $500.
Vanatta allegedly entered another pontoon boat and took two flashlights, a can of WD 40, a set of tools, two quarts of oil, and miscellaneous tools all valued at less than $500.
Vanatta further allegedly entered a Ford pickup truck by breaking out the glass on the driver’s side and taking a gas can, extra car keys, and a boat latch lock.
The same day, Vanatta allegedly entered a Toyota by breaking out the back glass and taking a bag containing several keys, a first aid kit, a thirty one bag, flip flops, a cleaning kit, and two Sam’s cooler bags all valued at less than $500.
She also allegedly damaged a 2006 Chevy HHR vehicle by leaving marks on both of the driver side and passenger side doors causing over $500 in damage.
50 year old Tony Beasley pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a four year sentence to serve. The sentence is to run concurrently with another term he is now serving.
49 year old Trina Matthews pleaded guilty to theft over $1,000 and received a three year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. She must also make restitution to the victim in the case. Matthews was given jail credit from April 11 to October 4.
19 year old David Tyler Hutchins pleaded guilty to burglary and received a three year sentence but he will be on supervised judicial diversion probation. He must make restitution of $1,342. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, October 12, 2012 Hutchins allegedly broke into an outbuilding on Green Hill Road in Liberty by kicking in the front door. He allegedly stole a chainsaw, leaf blower, a cordless screw driver set, battery charger, and various other items including a 1997 Honda Four Wheeler, all valued at over $1,000.
21 year old Travis Marcus Melton pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated burglary. Melton received a four year sentence in each case to run concurrently with each other and all suspended to supervised probation. He was given jail credit from August 6 to October 4.
Sheriff Ray said that on February 29, 2012 Melton allegedly broke into a residence on Johnson Chapel Road by kicking in a back door. He allegedly took a 20 gauge shotgun, two flat screen TV’s, a DVD player, a chain saw and other various items all valued at over $1,000.
Meanwhile on the same day, February 29 Melton also allegedly broke into another home on Johnson Chapel Road through a window. Melton allegedly took a 46 inch flat screen TV, DVD player, laptop computers, a digital camera, and other various items all valued at more than $1,000. The case was investigated by criminal detectives of the sheriff’s department.
Melton was further named in sealed indictments returned by the grand jury in August.
The indictments allege that “On or about the 1st day of March, 2012, Melton did intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly enter the habitation of the victim with the intent to commit theft of property, constituting the offense of aggravated burglary and that he “did knowingly exercise control over certain property, to wit: a 12 gauge shotgun, 12 gauge ammunition, a Disney Pellet Rifle, a .22 Ruger handgun, ammunition, a 52 inch flat screen television, a DVD player, a leather jewelry box, $25 cash, several knives, an air compressor, tools, a tool box, pillow cases, several bottles of liquor, a gas can, a hatchet with sheath, a machete with sheath, a Browning hunting knife with sheath, two fishing poles with reels, a coke machine key and $3 in change, being over the value of $1,000, the property of the victim, constituting the offense of theft.”
In another case, the indictments allege that “On or about the 3rd day of March, 2012, Melton did intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly enter the habitation of the victim with the intent to commit theft of property, constituting the offense of aggravated burglary and that “Melton did knowingly exercise control over certain property, to wit: a Henry .22 lever action rifle, being under the value of $500, the property of the victim, constituting the offense of theft.”
37 year old Lonnie L. Wheeler pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and theft over $1,000. He received a four year sentence in the theft case, suspended to probation. Wheeler got a sentence of 11 months and 29 days for the DUI to serve 48 hours and then be on probation. The two terms are to run consecutively for a total of five years. He is to pay a $350 fine and he will lose his driving privileges for a period of time.
Wheeler was accused of stealing a 1992 Honda Accord from the Walmart parking lot on Monday, January 21.
Chief Randy Caplinger said Smithville Police received a call of a stolen vehicle taken from the Walmart parking lot. Officers went there to check the video footage, which showed a person, identified as Wheeler, stealing the vehicle. The car, which belonged to a Walmart employee, was later recovered near the Warren County line.