A habitual offender was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to the theft of two computers from Walmart last summer.
Nathan Craig Stachmus, 39, of Hot Springs, was set for a hearing Tuesday on the admissibility of statements he made to Garland County sheriff's investigators but opted to plead guilty to a felony count of theft of property over $1,000 and in addition to prison time was ordered to pay $190 in court costs.
Stachmus is classified as a habitual offender, having been convicted of residential burglary in 1999 in Garland County; possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft of property over $1,000 in 2014 in Hot Spring County; and theft of property over $1,000 in 2016 in Scott County.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Aug. 20, 2018, an employee of Walmart, 4019 Central Ave., stated she was working when she was notified by a witness that Stachmus, who was known to her, was seen pushing two computers out of the store through the fire exit door.
She reviewed the video and confirmed it was Stachmus based on previous incidents with him at the store. She said Stachmus grabbed a shopping cart and put two computers, with a total value of $1,228, inside and then left the store through the automotive department. She noted there was a vehicle waiting outside to pick him up.
A warrant for Stachmus' arrest was issued on Sept. 4, 2018. He was arrested on June 25 in downtown Little Rock by officers with the Arkansas Community Correction's Special Response Team, Little Rock police Violent Crime Apprehension Team and the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force.
Stachmus was also being sought at the time for parole violations and had other felony warrants out of Grayson and Collin counties in Texas, Benton and Ashdown.
Local on 11/15/2019