Man enters plea deal in thrift store theft case
Although probation is possible under the terms of his plea agreement, the Yuma man who stole items from the donation storage area of a nonprofit thrift store earlier this year could still be sentenced to prison.
On Thursday, during a change of plea hearing in Yuma County Superior Court, 22-year-old Jaime Rodriguez, pleaded guilty to an amended count of attempted theft.
Rodriguez, who was arrested for violating his conditions of release on Aug. 16, had been charged with one felony count of burglary and one misdemeanor count of theft, but in return for his plea of guilty those charges were dismissed.
In explaining the terms of his plea agreement to him, Superior Court Judge Roger Nelson informed Rodriguez that the offense of attempted theft carries a presumptive prison sentence of one year.
He also told Rodriguez that while the plea offer stipulates probation, it is not binding on the court, and the judge can reject it if he chooses. If that happens, he continued, Rodriguez would have the opportunity to withdraw from it and have his case proceed to trial.
Nelson then set Rodriguez’s sentencing for 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 20. Before the hearing ended Rodriguez’s attorney, who is court-appointed, asked if his client could be released until sentencing.
Nelson, however, declined the request saying he was contemplating imposing a prison sentence instead of probation.
According to Yuma police, the thefts occurred over a two-day period between May 31 and June 1 at the Amberly’s Place Thrift Shoppe at 812 S. Avenue A.
The suspects were caught on surveillance cameras taking various donated items out of crates kept in the agency’s storage area, which is on the side of the building and enclosed by a locked fence.
Rodriguez was one of two suspects sought and eventually arrested in June in the 1300 block of Colorado Street and later booked into the Yuma County jail on three counts of burglary and three counts of theft.
According to Amberly’s Place, the thieves stole well over $1,000 worth of merchandise. The second suspect is still being sought.