Jury sentences man to 8 years in prison for burglary, theft

Dalton
Dalton

A Garland County Circuit Court jury sentenced a Hot Springs man to a total of eight years in prison Monday after he pleaded guilty to burglarizing a building downtown last year.

The seven-woman, five-man jury recommended a sentence of three years in prison on a felony charge of commercial burglary and five years on a felony charge of theft of property more than $1,000 against Corey Allen Dalton, 34, and Judge Marcia Hearnsberger ruled he was to serve the sentences consecutively, for a total of eight years.

Dalton also pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to appear and was sentenced to two years in prison on each count, to run consecutively with each other and his sentence on the burglary and theft.

According to the probable cause affidavit, on April 19, 2017, around 8:45 a.m., a local man reported a burglary to a commercial building in the 100 block of Exchange Street in which numerous tools were taken with a total value of $2,250.

Around 7 p.m. that same day, the man told Hot Springs police he had posted surveillance video footage of the suspect involved in the burglary on Facebook. He said he was contacted by the owner of Casino Pawn, 2922 Central Ave., who said around 3 p.m. that day Dalton came into his shop and pawned a circular saw and a reciprocating saw.

Dalton told the owner he also had a concrete saw for sale he would bring in later that day. The owner had watched the victim's video and recognized the suspect as Dalton and called the victim. He told him about the items that had been sold to him and the fact Dalton was returning with the concrete saw.

The victim came to Casino Pawn, but Dalton had not yet arrived. A short time later, Dalton came into the shop to sell the concrete saw, but the owner told him he didn't want to buy it. Dalton left the store with the victim following and walked to a green Ford Explorer where the victim confronted him.

The victim told Dalton, "Give me my stuff now." Dalton opened the rear door of the Explorer and retrieved all the victim's tools, except for a tool belt, which Dalton claimed he didn't have.

A warrant was later issued for Dalton's arrest and he was taken into custody on May 1, 2017. He was later released on $37,500 bond. His bond was revoked after he was arrested again on May 16, 2017, on charges of residential burglary, theft by receiving and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dalton is classified as a habitual offender having been convicted on March 14, 2018, of four counts of breaking or entering.

Local on 06/20/2018

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