Man Could Get Life Sentence In Syrup Theft

[The Straight Story]

Man Could Get Life Sentence In Syrup Theft

POSTED: 11:28 am EST November 2, 2005

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. -- Life could get a lot less sweet for a Putney man whose conviction in the sale of stolen maple syrup makes him eligible for life in prison as a habitual offender.

A Windham County jury agreed with prosecutors that Stephen Bain, 52, sold more than 75 gallons of syrup to a New Hampshire wholesaler just hours after it was discovered missing from the Dwight Miller Orchards in Dummerston in May of 2003.

Aside from the charge of possession of stolen property, Bain was found guilty of felony possession of marijuana, in connection with pot found at his home during a search by sheriff's deputies.

The charges normally could bring up to 13 years in prison. But someone can be declared a habitual offender after three prior felony convictions, and Bain had six.

http://www.local6.com/news/5232184/detail.html

pot and maple syrup....HMMMMMM

[devilgrrl]

1. I feel safer already.

:sarcasm:

[tatertop]

4. he's rascally, that's all

fine him 1000 and let him be.

[tatertop]

2. all he needed was bacon, bacon fat, beans, and brown sugar

slow cook in a pot and pour mapo-ee good syrup on top...
there you have it

[DBoon]

8. with all the marijuana they found

I'm sure it would be happy eating

[tatertop]

13. Hell yes.

[Hubert Flottz]

3. And Scooter helped murder 2,000 GIs and won't do a day.

What is wrong with that picture?

[Arkana]

5. Guess he's in a 'sticky' situation now.

:hide:

[indepat]

6. With an approx. thirty-year life-expectancy, it might cost $1 million or

more just to warehouse him.

[A Simple Game]

7. They take their Maple Syrup

pretty seriously in Vermont!

[napi21]

9. Life is certainly a stretch! However, the post says Bain had

SIX prior felonies. I'd be interested to find out what those were. I read the article and it says he was on parole for theft at the time of this arrest.

I don't want to pick on this guy, but he was either a realy stupid crook, or a habitual felon.

I don't agree with a life sentence, but that's a question about Federal guidelines and not this guy.

[Tab]

10. I grew up in Vermont

You have to go through 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, and one gallon lasts you a LONG time (chances are he sold them in pints or quarts).

But if you bought a whole gallon, that'd probably run you $80 (and you thought gas was expensive), so 75 gallons is about $6000 worth of product.

[Telly Savalas]

15. The article said he sold it for $1,300

At the price I pay at the grocery store for a 750 ml bottle, 75 gallons would translate into a bit less than $3,000 Cdn, so he must have given volume discounts.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

11. Come on, that is SIX prior CONVICTIONS... how many

times has he beat the rap, or not been arrested?

Life is a tough sentance, but where do you draw the line?

[Walt Starr]

12. Life sentences for prior convictions hould be limited to violent offenses

If he has three violent priors, life is warranted in this case.

Rapists, muggers, and all other violent perps should not get off easily.

If, on the other hand, he has two counts of shoplifting, one of boosting a car, and three for writing bad checks, no way in hell should he be looking at life. I could see a doubling of the potential sentence for the crime he's being tried for under similar circumstances, but life is way out of bounds. I would go so far as to call it cruel and unusual punishment under these sorts of crimes.

[manic expression]

14. convictions of what?

this is yet ANOTHER case of the government throwing the entire Library of Congress at someone for something very minor.

:puke:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

21. Well, I have to admit, I don't know

I am not for the three strikes and ZT laws, far from it.

I just don't know what to do with the information I have.

[manic expression]

22. That's fair

thanks for the clarification.

[Occulus]

17. You don't

Because zero-tolerance and three-strikes laws DO NOT WORK.

They ONLY serve to cost the taxpayers money to the benefit of the corporate prison system.

THESE LAWS NEED TO GO.

[Occulus]

16. Three-strikes laws and "zero tolerance" laws

are antithetical to the concept of democracy.

[berni_mccoy]

18. Does this mean Libby could go to Jail For LIFE?!?!

If he's convicted of all FIVE counts (each of which is a FELONY).

[jmowreader]

20. Only if they try him five times

Because they're going to try him once, all of Scooter's convictions will count as one strike.

[KamaAina]

19. Ah, sweet justice!

:sarcasm: