Cassville man pleads guilty to business thefts

Taylor receives supervised probation for pair of D felonies

A Cassville man has pleaded guilty to two felonies for stealing nearly $6,000 in property from two local businesses in October 2020.

Justin Taylor, 48, of Cassville, originally charged with three counts, pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing — $750 or more, both D felonies. He was sentenced to 10 years in the department of corrections, which has been suspended for five years of supervised probation.

Taylor made the plea on Jan. 5, the same day a jury trial in the case was set to start. He also pleaded guilty to a possession of a firearm felony, receiving the same sentence.

Taylor had just served a three-year prison sentence for a second-degree burglary case in 2018.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Sgt. C. Bray, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, between 8 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2020, and 4:50 p.m. on Nov. 13, 2020, Taylor took approximately $2,470 worth of miscellaneous fishing gear and boat parts from Brice’s Towing on Highway 76, later admitting to taking the items.

Also in that time frame, Taylor allegedly stole approximately $1,283 worth of miscellaneous tools from the All Points Recycling facility on Farm Road 2192, as well as about $2,198 worth of truck parts, tools and other miscellaneous items.

After being read his Miranda rights, Taylor allegedly admitted to deputies that he took a radiator, chrome stack and chrome fenders, altogether valued at about $1,500.