An Emerson man was sentenced to two years in state prison Thursday after pleading guilty to a string of July break-in, theft, and burglary incidents that occurred at Magnolia’s Walmart parking lot, along Hwy. 82 E. in Magnolia, and Hwy. 79 S. in Emerson.
Michael Aaron Mickens, 22, was arrested in the early morning hours of July 22 after he was found with multiple reported stolen items from two vehicle break-ins and residential burglary that took place in the hours prior.
According to Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Phillips, the defendant broke into and stole property from a victim’s vehicle parked at the Walmart Supercenter in Magnolia, broke into a separate victim’s Ford Ranger pickup parked along Hwy. 82 E. in Magnolia, and committed burglary at an abandoned Hwy. 79 S. Emerson residential address and illegally removed property.
“He removed several items from the [Walmart vehicle] including electronic equipment and a firearm — in this case a .45 caliber pistol,” the prosecutor said.
The Walmart vehicle break-in, according to court records, took place at approximately 3 a.m. on July 22. The victim later reported the firearm, a backpack containing a laptop and tablet, a gold necklace, and a DJ turntable all stolen from the automobile.
Mickens, records show, was pulled over at 4:53 a.m. in Emerson near the abandoned Hwy. 79 address. The Walmart victim’s described items, along with mail and a credit card belonging to him, were found in suspect’s vehicle.
Earlier on July 22, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Probable Cause affidavit, police also found a Ford Ranger pickup parked along Hwy. 82 E. in Magnolia that contained a shattered back glass, the driver- and passenger-side rear windows “busted out,” and well as a damaged windshield. The small pickup was reported to have broken down earlier that night, according to the affidavit. A bag was also reported stolen from the truck, the report said.
During his pleading, Mickens acknowledged that all of the state’s evidence presented Thursday was true. As part of a plea deal with the state, the defendant admitted guilt to six criminal counts stemming from the three July 22 incidents. They included residential burglary, breaking or entering, theft of property over $1,000, a second breaking or entering count, theft of a firearm valued under $2,500, and criminal mischief involving damage over $1,000. Three counts initially charged to the defendant – two theft of property under $1,000 misdemeanors and driving on a suspended license – were dropped as part of the plea deal.
The guilty party will serve most of his prison time in an Arkansas Community Corrections facility, according to the court.
Mickens had spent 47 days in the Columbia County Detention Center after his arrest. That term, Circuit Judge David Talley said, will be counted as jail-time credit. A five-year probationary SIS sentence was also issued as part of the guilty plea.
Restitution, as of Thursday, was still deemed “to be determined,” by the judge. A hearing on the matter is scheduled to take place in December.
“Most of the items have been recovered,” said Phillips. “We have reached out to the victims, but have not gotten any response.”
Mickens could be eligible for parole as early as February 2019, when accounting for prior time-served and parole eligibility. In Arkansas, most felony convictions can see early release after serving one-sixth of an issued prison sentence.
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In other Columbia County Circuit Court cases heard Thursday:
Donna L. Cochran, charged with forgery-first degree, pleaded guilty to the felony count. She was sentenced to five years probation.
Charles Brown, charged with possession of a defaced firearm, pleaded guilty to the felony count. He was sentenced to five years probation. The modified, sawed-off shotgun has been ordered to be destroyed.
Larry Evans, charged with three counts of revocation of SIS, was placed placed on two years probation.
Joseph Waters, previously charged with domestic battering-second degree and the count later dropped, was granted a no-contact order lifted.
Bryan Russell, charged with revocation of probation, is next scheduled to appear in court Dec. 20. He stated Thursday he intends to pay in full his remaining court costs and fees by the date. If he does, his case will likely be closed.