Rockford man pleads guilty to charges related to thefts, forgery

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com 

A Rockford man charged with 14 counts of forgery, identity theft, truck thefts, burglary, arson, possession of stolen goods and a drug violation, had entered written pleas of guilty to five of those charges.

Colten L. Lindley, age 23, of Rockford, entered the pleas in Floyd County District Court last week.

As part of a plea agreement with the Floyd County Attorney’s Office, the county will drop the other nine charges and recommend he serve no prison time, being sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison, all to be suspended.

Lindley was charged along with Jason Duane Burnett, age 20, of Rudd, regarding a series of thefts over the summer including two Dodge pickup trucks, a trailer and an International Harvester tractor.

According to court documents, Burnett faces a total of 13 charges: ongoing criminal conduct, seven counts of theft, arson, forgery, two counts of possessing a controlled substance and falsifying a vehicle identification number.

Burnett’s charges range from an aggravated misdemeanor to Class D, C and B felonies. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges, and a trial date has been set for Oct. 30.

Meanwhile, Lindley entered written pleas of guilty to:

• One count of ongoing criminal conduct, a Class B felony, for more than three thefts. The county attorney will recommend a suspended 25-year sentence, five years of probation, restitution for all thefts, and residence at BeJe Clark in Mason City or a similar facility as a condition of probation, plus other fees.
• One count of first-degree theft, for the theft of a black 1996 Dodge Ram pickup, a Class C felony. The county attorney will recommend a suspended 10-year prison sentence, a $1,000 fine, five years probation and other surcharges and fees.
• One count of forgery, for writing a check to a gas station on another person’s account, a Class D felony. The county attorney will recommend a suspended five-year prison sentence, five years of probation, restitution and other fees.
• One count of second-degree theft, a Class D felony, for stealing an ATV. The  sentence to be recommended by the county attorney is five years in prison, suspended; a $750 fine, suspended; five years probation; and other fees.
• One count of third-degree burglary, a Class C felony, for entering an occupied structure for the purpose of theft. The sentence recommendation will be five years in prison, suspended; $750 fine, suspended; restitution; five years probation; and other fees.

If the district court judge accepts the plea agreement, charges of arson for burning a truck and trailer, first-degree theft, three counts of second-degree theft, third-degree theft, one count of forgery, two counts of identity theft and a count of illegally possessing a prescription drug will all be dropped.

The judge is not required to go along with the sentencing recommendations, and Lindley acknowledges that possibility in his written guilty pleas.

Lindley has been released from custody under pretrial supervision. A sentencing hearing has been set for Oct. 1.