Miller sentenced to prison for burglary

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The second of two men charged with the burglary of two Charles City apartments last June has been sentenced to up to five years in prison.

According to court documents, John Paul Miller, age 38, of New Hampton and another man, Brandyn Michael Steveson, age 26, of Charles City, entered two apartments on the 200 block of 5th Avenue on June 25, 2018. They did not have permission to enter and caused several hundred dollars damage to doors in the apartments.

Miller had a large knife with him, and one of the apartments was occupied by two cleaning people, the criminal complaint said.

Police were called to the scene, and when they arrived Miller and Steveson were hiding in one of the apartments until police called them out, the complaint said.

Miller was charged with burglary in the first degree, a Class B felony, as a felony habitual offender for having been convicted previously of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and burglary in the third degree in Appanoose County in 1999, burglary in the third degree in Wapello County in 2004, eluding in Wapello County in 2011, burglary in the third degree in Wapello County in 2013, and controlled substance violation in Wapello County in 2013.

Miller was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, third or subsequent offense, a Class D felony, for having possession of a baggie that tested positive for methamphetamine residue.

Miller pleaded guilty in January to a reduced charge of burglary in the 3rd degree, a class D felony, and to the drug charge. He was sentenced last week by Judge Gregg Rosenbladt in Floyd County District Court.

Rosenbladt sentenced Miller to up to five years in prison on the burglary charge and up to five years in prison on the drug charge, with the penalties to run concurrently, or at the same time, plus suspended fines.

Miller was also ordered to pay restitution of $3,264 to the owner of the apartment building for damages.

Steveson had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary in the second degree, a class C felony, and had been sentenced in October 2018 to up to 10 years in prison, with that prison term suspended, a $1,000 fine, suspended, and ordered to be on probation for three to five years.

Steveson had also been ordered to pay restitution of $3,264. Miller and Steveson were held jointly and individually liable for paying the restitution.