Published: November 20, 2008 10:55 pm      

Man pleads guilty to stealing catalytic converter from auto

Christopher Coleman was trying to keep up his drug habit.

Instead, he got sent to jail.

Coleman, 30, of Richmond, told Madison Circuit Judge Julia Hilton Adams on Thursday that he attempted to steal a catalytic converter from a local car dealership because he was trying to support his OxyContin habit.

“I took the catalytic converter off and was going to try to sell it,” he said. “I got caught in the process.”

Coleman was arrested Sept. 11 after he was chased from a car lot by a security officer, leaving behind a camouflage mask, a saw and a catalytic converter.

Police officers were called to the field at 12:05 a.m. by a security guard working for Valentine Honda on the Robert R. Martin Bypass who had detained Coleman.

The security guard first became suspicious when he heard noises coming from the upper parking lot area, said Sgt. Willard Reardon, public affairs officer for the Richmond Police Department.

The guard saw Coleman walk away from a Toyota truck while carrying a catalytic converter and a reciprocating saw, Reardon said.

It was later confirmed that the catalytic converter had been cut from a 2005 Toyota Tundra where Coleman was first observed.

Coleman, of Lakehill Drive, originally was charged with receiving stolen property worth more than $300, first-degree criminal mischief, tampering with physical evidence and possession of burglary tools.

He was lodged in the Madison County Detention Center, where he remained Thursday.

He later was indicted on charges of receiving stolen property worth more than $300, first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree persistent felony offender.

The indictment against Coleman said he did more than $1,000 worth of damage to the truck by removing its catalytic converter.

“When you take a catalytic converter off, it does a great deal of damage, doesn’t it?” Adams asked Coleman.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered.

In exchange for Coleman’s guilty plea, the commonwealth offered a recommended sentence of two-and-one-half years. The persistent felony offender charge was dropped.

If Coleman had been convicted on his charges, he could have received up to 20 years in prison.

Adams said she would take the recommended sentence under advisement.

Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 8 at 1:30 p.m.



Lorie Love can be reached at llove@richmondregister.com or 624-6690.