On Tuesday, a Grayson County jury sentenced Timothy Wayne Moore, 39, of Meade, Okla., to 65 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for after convicting him of burglary of a habitation. The sentence followed a two day trial in front of visiting judge James Fry.
Moore will be eligible for probation after serving 30 years.
A press release from Grayson County District Attorney Joe Brown said that, on May 5, 2007, 19-year-old Raquel Garner returned in the middle of the day to the home she shared with her parents outside of Denison. She found a strange car parked in the yard, and soon observed a man she did not know walk out of her house.
She asked the man if she could help him, and he replied that he was there to fix the satellite dish. When she explained that the family did not have a satellite dish, he jumped into his vehicle, and sped off.
Garner followed the vehicle, at a high rate of speed, long enough to get the license plate number. When she returned to her house, she discovered that the door had been kicked in, the house had been ransacked, and several items had been stolen.
Grayson County investigator Catherine Craig was able to trace the vehicle to Timothy Moore. Garner picked Moore out of a photo line-up, and investigators learned that Moore had previously worked as a satellite repair technician.
The jury deliberated a little over an hour before convicting Moore. During the punishment portion of the trial, Assistant District Attorney Bobbie Peterson introduced evidence that Moore had a lengthy criminal history.
The jury learned that Moore had previously been convicted and sent to prison on charges in South Carolina and Oklahoma, including possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute, counterfeiting, possession of stolen property, concealing stolen property, forgery, and burglary. While waiting for trial on the current charge, Moore was convicted in federal court of possession of a firearm by a felon, and sentenced to 87 months in federal prison. After another hour of deliberation, the jury returned a 65-year-sentence, and a $10,000 fine.
"This is another of those repeat offenders that juries really do not like," said Brown.
"People of tired of thieves, and especially career criminal thieves." Peterson was pleased with the result.
"These kinds of sentences from juries are great to help clean out the jail. The inmates get motivated to avoid a jury trial if they see their buddies get long sentences. We appreciate the message this sends."
Moore was represented by Jack McGowen.