Joseph Flanders will serve 68—170 months in prison on two counts of category B felony burglary and one category B felony grand larceny of a firearm charge.
On May 11, 2021, Flanders reportedly stole a .22 caliber handgun that did not belong to him from a vehicle and entered two separate businesses in Winnemucca and took various items.
The potential penalty for each burglary count and the grand larceny of a firearm is one to ten years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.
Flanders said he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident, which he also said he doesn’t remember.
“I’m truly sorry to the people that I stole from,” said Flanders. “I was lost in the drugs that I was doing.”
Humboldt County Public Defender Matt Stermitz asked the court to allow Flanders to enter a substance use treatment program on a term of probation rather than serve a prison sentence.
The victim in the firearm theft gave a statement at the sentencing hearing, stating that not only did he lose the stolen firearm in the incident, but his family’s sense of safety as his children don’t want to sleep alone since the incident due to fear.
Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Michael Montero ordered Flanders to serve 34—85 months in prison on each burglary felony, to run concurrently with 100 days credit for time served and a $25 administrative assessment fee, $250 public defender fee and $153 DNA collection and analysis fee on each count.
On the grand larceny of a firearm charge, he was ordered to 34—85 months in prison to run consecutive to the other sentences with 97 days credit for time served with a $153 DNA collection and analysis fee, $250 public defender fee, $25 administrative assessment fee and $520 restitution to the victim.
