Photo: Gregory Mayfield
A 20-year-old Mountain Home man appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and admitted he had violated the terms and conditions of his probation in two earlier criminal cases and asked for another chance to straighten out his life.
Because there was no agreement between attorneys on both sides, sentencing for Gregory Mayfield was left up to Circuit Judge Gordon Webb. After hearing attorneys from both sides and from Mayfield as well, Judge Webb said he was “going to take a chance on you” and put Mayfield on six years probation and ordered him to complete a one-year program designed to treat addictions.
In addition to the two cases for which he was given probation, Mayfield has an active criminal case in which he is accused of attempting to steal a jacket left inside a vehicle. The vehicle and the jacket – unfortunately for Mayfield – belonged to an off-duty police officer.
In early November last year, the off-duty officer reported seeing a person inside his vehicle parked in the driveway of his residence along East Eighth Street.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim/officer placed Mayfield in handcuffs and waited for Mountain Home police to arrive.
Mayfield, who has listed himself as homeless in some court documents, is alleged to have told officers he was cold and saw a jacket inside the victims vehicle. He admitted he entered the vehicle to steal the coat.
The coat theft case remains open.
Deputy Public Defender Mark Cooper said his client was young, had never been sent to prison and was in need of rehabilitation because of his addiction to drugs. Cooper said Mayfield’s situation is a “classic case of someone needing rehab.”
Cooper told Judge Webb Mayfield had been accepted into a local residential program designed to deal with addictions, and he asked the court to allow him to participate.
Prosecutor David Ethredge said he was “a believer in giving people chances,” but that Mayfield “needs to spend time in prison.” Ethredge told the court, “This is not a drug case, this is a theft case. Mr. Mayfield is a thief. He likes to break-in and steal things.”
Mayfield admitted to the court he had violated the terms and conditions of his probation in the two cases. He said he came from a dysfunctional family and had never had structure in his life.
Ethredge said Mayfield “was put on probation twice, and he was free to seek the help he says he needs at that time, but he chose not to.”
The probation revocation petitions were filed in cases initially set up in 2016 and 2017. In one of those cases, Mayfield was found guilty of entering two cars parked in driveways at addresses in Briarcliff. Cash and personal items belonging to the owners were reportedly taken.
Mayfield was developed as a suspect when a relative reported he had property matching the description of items stolen from the two vehicles.
When Mayfield was interviewed, he admitted to breaking into the two vehicles and also told investigators about a third unreported break-in.
Mayfield said he took money from the vehicles because a relative had asked him to break into cars and get money so the individual could buy drugs.
The second case involved a vehicle break-in reported Christmas Day 2016. Mayfield was accused of taking three firearms and a hunting bow.
Value of the items was estimated to be several thousand dollars. Mayfield was reported to have admitted to the theft.
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