A plea agreement was reached in 15 theft-related cases in Lafayette County.
Steven B. DeVoe, 42 of Darlington, pleaded guilty to all but two of the 17 charges in 15 cases.
DeVoe was arrested on Nov. 10 by the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department following an investigation of a report of a stolen skid steer.
As a result of the arrest, items reported stolen from various locations in Lafayette County, including two skid steer loaders, one ATV, one riding lawnmower, one trailer and several hand tools, were recovered from DeVoe’s home as well as several locations in rural Darlington and Grant and Dane counties. Many items from Green County were also recovered, including two trailers, two ATVs, one motorcycle and one riding lawn tractor.
DeVoe was charged with 12 felony counts and five misdemeanors in a total of 15 different cases in Lafayette County. Charges include two counts of burglary to a building or dwelling, a Class F felony; two counts of theft of moveable property greater than $10,000, a Class G felony; theft of moveable property greater than $5,000 to $10,000, a Class H felony; five counts of receiving stolen property greater than $2,500 to $5,000, a Class I felony; two counts of theft of moveable property greater than $2,500 to $5,000, a Class I felony; four counts of theft of moveable property less than or equal to $2,500, a Class A misdemeanor; and receiving stolen property less than or equal to $2,500, a Class A misdemeanor.
DeVoe was facing possible charges of up to $25,000 in fines or imprisonment of up to 12 ½ years or both for each of the Class F felony charges; up to $25,000 in fines or imprisonment up to 10 years, or both for each of the Class G felonies; up to $10,000 in fines or imprisonment up to six years, or both for the Class H felony; and up to $10,000 in fines or imprisonment for up to three-and-a-half years, or both for each of the Class I felony charges. He faced up to a $10,000 fine or imprisonment up to nine months, or both, for each of the Class A misdemeanor charges. Repeat offenders could face more imprisonment time.
DeVoe pleaded guilty to all but two of the charges—one count of theft of moveable property greater than $2,500 to $5,000 and one count of theft of moveable property less than or equal to $2,500—which were dropped.
District Attorney Charlotte Doherty recommended the following sentence: two years of initial incarceration and five years extended supervision for burglary to a building or dwelling, a Class F felony; withholding sentencing on the other felony charges; and DeVoe placed on probation for a period of not to exceed six years in each felony case to run concurrent. Restitution of $479 is owed to Steve Brenum, $5,888.70 to Matthew Goebel, $500 to Jason DeVoe, $1,300 to Bernard and Mary Wiegel and $28.56 to Stacey Phillips. In each of the misdemeanor cases, the state recommends that he serve six months of straight jail time for each of the four cases to run concurrent to each other and concurrent with incarceration for the felony theft.
Doherty said if the pre-sentencing investigation recommends less incarceration than the state’s plea agreement, the state recommendation will not exceed the pre-sentencing investigation recommendation.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 25 at 1:15 p.m.