The Second Circuit Court of Appeal has upheld the sentencing of a Bossier City man convicted of felony theft.
Miller
Jamaal Lamont Miller entered a plea of guilty to the charge in November 2014; however, he appealed his sentence of 10 years at hard labor saying it was excessive, according to court documents.
Miller was convicted of stealing more than $60,000 worth of merchandise from Fibrebond Corporation in July 2014.
“Miller admitted to taking these items from Fibrebond without its consent and selling them to pawnshops and scrap yards,” according to court documents. “…The appellate review of sentences for excessiveness is two-pronged. There is no requirement that specific matters be given any particular weight at sentencing…Despite Miller’s positive personal history, the trial court found Miller’s third-felony offender status a decisive aggravating factor.”
The ruling shows Miller has prior convictions of financial transaction card fraud-theft, five counts of financial transaction card fraud and eight counts of forgery-first degree. Two years later, he pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery. All of these charges were in Georgia.
Officials with the Bossier/Webster District Attorney’s Office say as a part of the plea agreement, Miller was allowed to decrease his sentencing by one year for every $10,000 he paid in restitution before sentencing.
Miller did not pay any restitution, and had District Attorney Schuyler Marvin decided to file a multiple offender bill, Miller’s sentence could have doubled to 20 years, officials said.
“We are very pleased with the appropriate sentence handed down by Judge Parker Self and the decision by the court of appeal to affirm that sentencing,” Marvin said. “I am proud of the diligent work Mike Lawrence did defending the appeal. Thanks to the Minden Police Department’s officers and detectives who worked this case, we had a solid foundation to bring this case to a close.”
As of press time, attorneys for Miller could not be reached for comment.