Twelve people answered to burglary and or theft charges in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.
Judge Leon Burns, Jr. presided.
19 year old Ryan Austin Felts pleaded guilty to auto burglary and burglary. He received a two year sentence in the auto burglary case, suspended to probation. Felts got a four year sentence for the burglary, but state prosecutors are recommending judicial diversion probation for him. The cases are to run concurrently. He must make restitution to Jason’s Auto Sales in the amount of $1,981 and an amount to be determined to Chad’s Auto Sales. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, June 22, 2012 Felts broke into a vehicle at Jason’s Auto Sales at 3365 Nashville Highway with the intent to commit a theft. Entry was made by busting out the window and busting the steering column to try and take the vehicle without the owner’s consent. Felts was also charged by Smithville Police with vandalism, burglary, two counts of theft of a vehicle, and theft of property over $10,000 as a result of burglary and thefts at Chad’s Auto Sales on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 & 24, 2012.
22 year old William Richard Denton and 20 year old Travis Marcus Melton each pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000. Each received a four year sentence for aggravated burglary and two years for the theft all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently for a total of four years for both Denton and Melton. Sheriff Ray said that Melton allegedly broke into a residence on Johnson Chapel Road Sunday, July 29, 2012. Entry was made through a back window. Items taken in the burglary were gold chains, gold bracelet, rings, several handguns, and ammo, together valued at more than $1,000. According to Sheriff Ray, Denton assisted Melton in the burglary and gave him the combination to a safe where the guns were kept. Denton then allegedly sold the stolen items taken from the home. The case was investigated by a criminal detective of the Sheriff’s Department. Denton was arrested on Tuesday, August 7, 2012. Melton was arrested the following day.
37 year old Kevin G. Richardson pleaded guilty to theft over $1,000. He received a three year sentence on supervised probation to run concurrently with any sentence he is now serving. He must also make restitution of $4,410. Sheriff Ray said that on March 12, 2011, Richardson went to a farm on Tramel Branch Road and allegedly stole welders, a tiller, electric drills, electric wire, and several other items belonging to Danny Hale without his consent. These items were valued at over $1,000. The case was investigated by criminal detectives of the sheriff’s department
33 year old Heather Trapp pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation. Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger said on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 an employee of the Dollar General Store told police he saw Trapp place items in her purse. Trapp was confronted and confessed to the theft, removing the items from her purse. Trapp also admitted that she had been ordered, in a prior shoplifting offense there, not to be on the property of the Dollar General Store.
37 year old Russell Blackwell pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery and received a two year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other and with his current probation in another case. Blackwell was originally charged with five counts of forgery for allegedly passing forged checks on the account of a family member at a local bank totaling $2,075 in June, 2012. According to Chief Caplinger, Blackwell passed checks in the following amounts on the following days on the account of Harold Blackwell: $475 on June 22; $300 and $600 on June 25; $350 on June 26; and $350 on June 28.
25 year old Lindsey Davenport pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary. She received a three year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. She must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and make restitution if applicable. The sentence is to run concurrently with a General Sessions probated sentence. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Davenport allegedly broke into a residence on Cecil Hale Road. Entry was made by prying open the front door. Davenport allegedly stole nose trimmers, a Radio Shack Weather Alert Radio, two fishing poles, a wind up grandfather clock, and a red tool box with miscellaneous tools with a total estimated value of $817. The case was investigated by a criminal investigator of the sheriff’s department.
40 year old Willard Brown pleaded guilty to two counts of theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case, all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently. He is under a restraining order to stay away from Potters Home Center.
21 year old Stephanie Mooneyham pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to probation supervised by the Cannon County probation office. The sentence is to run concurrently with her Cannon County probation. She was given ten days jail credit and is under a restraining order to stay away from Walmart.
25 year old Justin Cantrell pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to supervised probation to be supervised by community corrections. The case is to run concurrently with his probation in another case.
27 year old Robert Justin Luna pleaded guilty to theft under $500 and aggravated assault and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days plus three years probation. He was given credit for time served.. He must make restitution to JR Motors in the amount of $650. The sentence is to run concurrently with two other cases against him.
35 year old Amy Lawson pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a four year sentence to serve at least 30% before parole eligibility. She was given jail credit of sixty five days.
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