Charles City man pleads guilty to possession of stolen sax

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com 

A Charles City man has pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree theft for possessing a saxophone that had been stolen at the YMCA.

Jason Moore, age 37, of Charles City, was arrested on Oct. 26, 2018, in the 800 block of Kelly Street after Charles City police conducted what they called a sting operation.

According to police, Moore listed for sale on social media a Yamaha alto saxophone that matched the description of an instrument that had been reported stolen from the Charles City YMCA on Oct. 20.

Police contacted Moore under the guise of wanting to buy the sax and arrested him when he showed up with it in his possession. The instrument was valued at $1,155.

Moore was charged with second-degree theft as a habitual felony offender.

Court records show that he had been previously convicted of burglary in the third degree on seven separate occasions in 2002, 2007 and 2009 in Chickasaw, Fayette, Winneshiek, Allamakee, Bremer and Black Hawk counties, and burglary in the second degree in 2007 in Bremer County.

At a hearing Friday in Floyd County District Court, Judge Peter Newell accepted a written plea of guilty to second-degree theft from Moore, who was present in court and represented by attorney William Morrison of Mason City.

Second-degree theft, possession of stolen property, is a Class D felony, punishable by a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $750 plus fees and surcharges.

As part of a plea agreement, the Floyd County Attorney’s Office will drop habitual felony offender enhancements and will recommend whatever sentence is recommended by a pre-sentencing investigation report.

Newell ordered the pre-sentencing report and set sentencing for June 4.