Sheridan Man Receives Split Sentence for Theft Charge

A 25-year-old Sheridan man was sentenced for felony theft at a hearing Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

Between June of 2022 and March 20, 2023,  Jace Brown stole over $1,700 in merchandise from Wal-Mart in Sheridan by using a tactic that is referred to as “sticker switching”, where Brown scanned the bar codes of less expensive items than the items he was purchasing and taking from the store. Following an investigation by the Sheridan Police Department, Brown was arrested in May and charged with one count of felony theft.

At a hearing Thursday, District Court Judge Darci Phillips sentenced Brown to 2 to 4 years in prison, suspended in lieu of a split-sentence of one-year in jail to be followed by three years of supervised probation. Brown was also ordered to pay $325 court costs and assessments, $1,775.02 in restitution to Wal-Mart, and $500 in public defender fees. Brown was given credit for 24 days of presentence confinement and will be able to petition the Court for a sentence reduction once he has a bed date for inpatient substance abuse treatment.