A local man was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to a felony theft charge involving items he stole from a friend he had been staying with earlier this year.
Justin Michael Morgan, 33, who lists an address of 119 S. Lakeland Drive, pleaded guilty to theft by receiving more than $1,000 and in addition to prison time was ordered to pay $170 in court costs.
Morgan is classified as a habitual offender, having been convicted in Garland County in 2011 of three counts of residential burglary, theft by receiving and theft of property more than $2,500.
According to the affidavit, on March 19, a burglary was reported in the 100 block of Bamboo Trail in which the male victim noted that there were no signs of forced entry and his alarm system did not activate.
Missing from his home were a 42-inch television, a 32-inch television, an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar, with a total value of $1,500.
The victim told Garland County sheriff's investigator Kenny Ford he suspected Morgan, who had been staying with him because he was having financial problems, and who had access to his home and knew the alarm code.
He noted Morgan had been staying with him for about three weeks and had no belongings other than clothing when he came there.
On March 21, Ford checked Leadsonline and determined that between March 10 and March 19, Morgan had pawned the two televisions and the two guitars at EZ Money Pawn, 919 Higdon Ferry Road.
Morgan was taken into custody on April 14 and had remained in custody since in lieu of $2,000 bond.
Local on 08/20/2014