Cape teen sentenced to probation for March pharmacy burglaries

A Cape Girardeau teenager who pleaded guilty last month to four felony charges in connection to three March pharmacy burglaries was sentenced by a judge Monday to five years of supervised probation.

Circuit Court Judge William L. Syler suspended an imposition of sentence and chose probation for Carlos Miniel, 17, based on his age and for having a previously clean record.

Miniel, charged with second-degree burglary, felony theft and two counts of attempted burglary, could have been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.

On March 5, Miniel broke into John's Pharmacy and attempted to break into Broadway Pharmacy, both in Cape Girardeau. The case against co-defendant Charles Dobyns, 20, is still pending in Scott County.

A container of oxycodone was stolen from John's Pharmacy.

For attempting to break into MediCenter Pharmacy in Jackson, also on March 5, Miniel was charged with a second count of attempted burglary. Nothing was stolen from that location, and no property was damaged.

Miniel was reportedly driving Dobyns to the locations.

Before sentencing, Miniel apologized to the court for his actions and asked Syler for a second chance.

"That was not me. Yes, I did do the crime, but it wasn't really like me," Miniel said.

According to a sentence assessment report, outlined by Miniel's attorney, Wayne R. Williams Jr., Miniel's parents were divorced when he was an infant and he has only met his father once. Before the burglaries, Miniel had an argument with his mother and ended up homeless. His lack of structure and poor decision making led to Miniel's arrest, Williams said.

Although Miniel was placed on supervised probation, Syler warned him that the sentence shouldn't be taken lightly. Syler said he'll have no tolerance for Miniel violating his conditions of probation, which include paying all court costs and more than $11,000 in restitution.

"If you so much as spit on the sidewalk, you're toast," Syler said. "You can get this behind you by growing up."

Miniel's six felony charges in Scott County, including second-degree burglary, property damage and four counts of possessing a controlled substance, are still pending with the court.

Dobyns, who was granted a change of venue in April, is charged with three counts of second-degree burglary and felony theft in connection to the Cape Girardeau and Jackson burglaries. His arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

2001 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO

710 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

200 W. Washington St., Jackson, MO