BENTONVILLE -- A former night manager of Harps Food in Siloam Springs was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the robbery of the store last year.
Shawn Bolton, 34, of Siloam Springs previously pleaded guilty to accomplice to commercial burglary and accomplice to theft of property, both Class B felonies. He previously pleaded guilty to the court. His punishment was up to Circuit Judge Brad Karren on Friday.
Bolton was arrested Feb. 15, 2013.
He worked as the night manager in August 2013 when the store was burglarized and $23,000 was stolen from the safe, according to the probable cause affidavit. The store's surveillance unit, valued at $10,348, also was stolen, according to court documents.
Siloam Springs police received a call Aug. 16, 2013, concerning a burglary at the store. Police learned forced entry was not involved and someone had used a pass code to disarm the store's alarm, the affidavit states.
Police obtained a list of employees who had a key to the front doors along with pass codes for the security system and safe, the affidavit states. Bolton, who recently had been disciplined for unprofessional conduct, denied any involvement in the crime. Cherie Bolton, his wife, also denied any role in the crime, according to court documents.
The Boltons consented to a search of their home where police found $22,112 in sealed bags inside a television in a back room, according to court documents.
Cherie Bolton overheard her husband, Preston Baxter and Brady Soucie planning the burglary and told police she also saw her husband and Soucie put the money in the back of the television, the affidavit states.
Soucie told police he and Baxter used Bolton's key to enter the store and then deactivated the alarm using Bolton's access code, the affidavit states. Soucie said he and Baxter took the money from the safe and went to Bolton's residence. Shawn Bolton later returned with the surveillance unit, which was thrown into a creek, according to court documents.
Baxter denied any involvement in the burglary, according to court documents.
Shawn Bolton was questioned again, and he admitted providing Baxter and Soucie the key, along with the security and safe codes, the affidavit states. He said the purpose of stealing the money was to move to Colorado because medicinal use of marijuana is legal and his wife uses marijuana to ease the symptoms of seizures, the affidavit states.
Karren sentenced Shawn Bolton to 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Bolton will have to abide by a suspended-sentence agreement for 10 years after his release from prison.
Cherie Bolton was also arrested in connection with the burglary. Prosecutors dismissed the charges against her.
Soucie and Baxter also were arrested. Charges were dismissed against Baxter. Soucie, 21, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July.
NW News on 12/13/2014