Man gets three years after guilty plea to theft

March 19, 2002|BY KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI

A Washington, D.C. man who used another man's checks and identity to go shopping at Prime Outlets will serve three years in prison, according to Washington County District Court records.

Frederick Rondell Bland of 701 P Street, NW pleaded guilty to theft of less than $500 and was sentenced March 14 to six years in prison, court records said. Washington County Circuit Judge R. Noel Spence suspended three years of the sentence, court records said.

As a result of the plea, charges of forgery, cashing a forged check and personal identity theft; four counts of misdemeanor theft; and one count of felony theft were dropped, a District Court clerk said.

Spence ordered him placed on three years supervised probation following his release from prison.

Bland will receive credit for 86 days he's served and must pay restitution.

In December 2001, personnel from S&K Men's Wear called police after a man bought several men's suits and a leather coat and paid with a check for more than $700. The bank on which the check was drawn confirmed it was stolen.

Security personnel apprehended the man and police were called.

Bland,38, had a valid Virginia driver's license bearing his picture but issued to the man whose checks he was cashing, police said. He had more checks belonging to the same man in his possession, police said.

After Bland was in custody, other merchants reported they had been victimized. Those stores included Carter's Children's Wear, The Children's Place and Music For a Song.

The stolen merchandise, including clothing, video games and game systems, was not recovered. Police said a second suspect fled in a vehicle believed to be holding the stolen property.

Aisha Hemphill, 24, of Washington, D.C., who police allege was with Bland, was charged with disorderly conduct. Disposition information on Hemphill was unavailable.

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