Saturday, March 29, 2008

Man Held On $1 Million Bond For $21 Theft Charge

A man arrested in Cincinnati on a charge of disorderly conduct remained in custody Friday because a judge refused to reduce a $1 million bond that was imposed on a charge he stole $21 in products nearly 18 years ago.

Gary Weaver, 41, of Owingsville, Ky., was arrested Wednesday, and court officials found out that there was a warrant for him from 1990.

A judge dealt with the disorderly conduct charge on Thursday by sentencing Weaver to the one night he already had spent in jail. But he refused to reduce the original bond, which was imposed after Weaver allegedly used fake rolls of dimes to pay a store for a $21.64 purchase.

The store found that the coin rolls were filled with pennies, with dimes on each end. The crime was elevated to a felony because Weaver had a prior theft conviction, an assistant prosecutor said.

Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Richard Bernat refused to lower the $1 million bond that was set on the theft charge from 1990. ©2008 by The Associated Press.