Eugene Sanders entered a plea of guilty to the charge of Receiving Stolen Property on Monday morning in the Circuit Court of Washington County, District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson announced today. Sanders plea came on the eve of trial, which was set to begin this week before Judge Richard Smith. Sanders charge stems from the sale of an heirloom sterling silver set which he sold to a local jeweler, knowing that the items were stolen.
The maximum penalty for Sander’s crime is 5-years in prison with the Mississippi Department of Corrections- which is exactly the sentence Sanders received. Sanders was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,644.00 to the owner of the stolen property.
The case against Sanders was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys M. Austin Frye and Kaylon A. McCou. Attorney Frye stated that “[w]ith break-ins, theft and fencing of our citizen’s personal belongings being a common problem in Washington County, it’s extremely important that offenders of such crimes face penalties that are severe enough to discourage not only repeat offenses, but also substantial enough to dissuade potential offenders from ever committing property crimes in the first place.” The District Attorney’s Office also expressed their gratitude for the thorough investigation provided by the Greenville Police Department in this case, and the Department’s diligence in following-up on, and pursuing, all available leads which can result in property crime convictions.
Contact: W. Dewayne Richardson District Attorney, Fourth Circuit Court District | 662-378-2105