CHARLES ROLAND CONVICTED

  

Fifty-six year old Charles Roland was convicted by a jury on Thursday after a 2 day trial for Theft of Property $1,500 or More But Less Than $20,000, a State Jail Felony.  Judge Reva Towslee Corbett presided over the hearing in the 21st District Court.  Assistant District Attorneys Derek Estep and Eric Berg represented the State at trial, and John Connolly, of Houston, represented the Defendant.

On February 13, 2013, Roland was arrested for a theft which occurred the previous November at an apiary, or bee yard, just outside of Burton.  Roland was found in possession of bee hives stolen from a family-owned bee-raising business based in Navasota.  The investigation revealed Roland had also sold a number of stolen bee hives to local, amateur beekeepers.

Roland was charged with a State Jail Felony, meaning the property value fell between $1,500 and $20,000.  The range of punishment for the charge is 180 days to 2 years in the State Jail division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and up to a $10,000 fine.

Regarding the verdict District Attorney Julie Renken commented, “Our community is fed up with the increase in property crimes, and this verdict shows it.  I’m proud of the jury for their service and attention, and I know the property owner in this case would agree.”  She continued, “I also want to commend Derek for a job well done.  All felony cases should be taken seriously and he showed all defendants that we will take them to trial.”

“Not every case is a high-profile charge with a defendant facing life in prison,” Assistant District Attorney Derek Estep explained after the trial, “and everyone is entitled to their day in court and a jury of their peers.”

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