A Nebraska man has been sentenced to prison time in relation to his involvement in a burglary in North Platte. The man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of theft by receiving items worth up to $1,500; the Lincoln County Attorney had initially charged him with burglary by forced entry. The defense argued that the prosecution lacked direct evidence that the man was connected to the crime, but a judge ultimately bound the crime over for trial.
The man eventually agreed to a plea agreement in which he pleaded guilty in exchange for the prosecution dropping the burglary charge and reducing the theft charge. The Lincoln County Attorney requested that the court sentence the man to a term of 280 days in jail. The court agreed and gave the man credit for the 148 days he had already served in jail.
According to prosecutors, the burglary took place on Feb. 26 at the home of a man who had passed away the previous week. Family members reportedly found that items were missing from the home during the process of packing and also discovered evidence of a break-in. According to sheriff’s deputies, a trailer load of items was stolen from the home. Deputies believe that six people were involved in the burglary.
Individuals accused of theft crimes may wish to employ a criminal defense lawyer to mount a defense in court. A criminal defense lawyer in a case similar to this one would examine the evidence to determine whether the prosecution had any concrete evidence that the defendant was involved in the theft. The lawyer might also present an alternative theory of events in order to create reasonable doubt.
Source: North Platte Bulletin, “Razes sentenced for theft”, Joe Chitwood and George Lauby, August 19, 2014
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