On Tuesday, a Cortez man was placed on 12 months of supervised probation in connection to a purse snatching.
District Attorney Will Furse said Terry Emmons, 28, was walking inside Wal-mart for a job interview in September, but instead stole a purse from a car.
“We have video surveillance,” Furse said. “It’s a slam-dunk case.”
Emmons pleaded guilty to auto trespassing in connection to the incident at a hearing on Feb. 6, as part of an agreement for deferred prosecution. Walker accepted the deferred prosecution agreement on Tuesday, Feb. 18, once Furse assured him the victim was on board with the ruling.
“This is one heck of a deal,” Walker told Emmons.
Under the agreement, Emmons didn’t enter a guilty plea. If he violates any condition of his probation, the charges would be re-filed, Walker explained.
Public defender Kent Pace described Emmons ‘actions as an “impulsive crime of opportunity.”
“Obviously, my client was very stupid,” Pace said.
Walker initially indicated he would not accept the deferred prosecution, citing Emmons’ 10-year criminal history of forgery and drug possession.
Furse argued the case would hang over Emmons.
“If the defendant fails the terms of probation, we still have him, judge,” Furse said.