Stealing from Wal-Mart nets jail time for Dukes

A thief who tried to flee Wal-Mart with over $1,000 in stolen merchandise will not only serve 200 days behind bars but will also be required to perform 300 hours public service work to amend for her crimes.

The defendant, Jamie M. Dukes, was ordered Wednesday by Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to serve 200 days of a five-year sentence, with the balance of her sentence to be spent on supervised probation. She will also be required to perform 300 hours public service work to be done while she is on probation.

The charges come after she and another man were caught trying to smuggle $1,450 worth of merchandise out of Wal-Mart concealed in their coats. According to warrants taken by Wal-Mart loss prevention, the two were seen concealing items in their jackets as they were in the electronics section. The couple then walked out of the store without paying for the merchandise, which included compact disks, phone cards, and cellphones. They were taken into custody shortly after walking out of the store. Dukes would later be charged, during booking, for trying to smuggle drugs into the jail.

In addition to those charges, Dukes entered pleas to charges of burglary and theft for breaking into a residence and stealing several items, including a book of checks, some of which she allegedly forged and passed.

Her alleged partner in crime, Joshua Hodges, was also indicted for theft and will face his charges at a later date.