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ENLARGE
Dana Leard
By MICHAEL MARESH
LVN Staff Writer
One of four women accused of burglarizing a local business and residence in July was sentenced Wednesday morning to 16 months to five years in prison.
Dana Leard, 27, was sentenced for conspiring with Juanita Ford, Tina Najera and Tiffany John to burglarize the Nice N’ Tidy maid service and the business owners’ residence.
Leard is one of two women who entered the residence to commit burglaries after stealing keys from Nice N’ Tidy.
District Judge Leon Aberasturi sentenced Leard to two terms of 16 months to five years in prison to be served concurrently, not consecutively.
Defense Attorney Martin Crowley started his defense by writing the names of the four woman on an easel separated by arrows to show his client’s lack of involvement. He asked Leard be ordered to drug court because she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the burglary.
The defense attorney said people committing violent offenses should be sent to prison. Leard’s crime, he said, is not a violent one that deserves a prison sentence.
Crowley said the person setting up the crime — Tiffany John — was allowed to plead guilty to a gross misdemeanor, and at most, she can be given one year in the county jail when sentenced Dec. 23.
“Being that she committed this crime while under the influence, (my client) should be given drug court” he said.
Crowley said Leard provided valuable information to authorities and told the Nice N’ Tidy owners she would do anything to help.
Aberasturi said he did not think Leard was a good candidate for drug court.
“I think she is a thief,” he said, adding the burglary was planned.
“This was thought out,” he said. “I do not see a group of drug addicts coming together to further their habit.”
The four women stole about 50 keys to various businesses and residences from the cleaning service, and District Attorney Art Mallory said authorities’ hard work prevented a major crime wave.
Susan Stenberg, who owns Nice N’ Tidy with her husband, Kirt, said she was having a nice weekend in July when she was told by her 18-year-old son that their home was burglarized. She was later informed keys had been stolen from their business.
She said her 13-year-old son was competing in a state baseball tournament that weekend, and her attention was supposed to be on her son; instead it turned out to be about the crime.
“I wanted to come back to town to see who violated me, my husband and my kids,” she said.
Stenberg said she is tired of hearing the drug excuse, and added her 13-year old feels violated and does not want to stay at the burglarized home.
“You made the choices, so did Tina,” she said. “I spent many sleepless nights (over this). I would like to move in a heartbeat. This town is going to Hell.”
She said the difficult part is looking at Leard’s mother because she is a mother, too.
Under questioning from Crowley, Stenberg said she is not OK with the plea deal John received and said people in jail sit around and read books.
Kirt Stenberg said the burglary turned his family’s life upside down, and added the community is inquiring about the crime.
“They can blame it on drugs, but they made a terrible choice, and they deserve to be punished,” he said.
He said the four women took keys to residents’ homes and businesses with one intent — to destroy their business.
Knowing their clients privacy was breached, the business had to ensure the buildings were secure. They called a locksmith to do the work. Some stolen keys belonged to Mayor Ken Tedford’s residence, business and City Hall.
“We had to take care of our clients,” Stenberg said.
He asked Aberasturi to punish Leard to the fullest extent the law allows.
Crowley tried to drive home the point that the crime could not have happened without Ford’s and John’s involvement.
He also pointed out his client was forthright on what she stole, some not reported by the Stenbergs, and Kirt, a little sarcastically said it is admirable of Leard to admit what she swiped.
Mallory said Leard admitted her part in the crime only after she was identified on a security tape and asked the prison sentences to run consecutively,
“The time for whining is over. When she stepped over that threshold, she knew it was not her home,” he said.
Leard apologized to the Stenbergs and the court.
“I am very sorry. I wish I could go back and change my actions, but I can’t,” she said.
Aberasturi said Leard’s lack of criminal history is the reason the sentences are running concurrently.
LVN Staff Writer
One of four women accused of burglarizing a local business and residence in July was sentenced Wednesday morning to 16 months to five years in prison.
Dana Leard, 27, was sentenced for conspiring with Juanita Ford, Tina Najera and Tiffany John to burglarize the Nice N’ Tidy maid service and the business owners’ residence.
Leard is one of two women who entered the residence to commit burglaries after stealing keys from Nice N’ Tidy.
District Judge Leon Aberasturi sentenced Leard to two terms of 16 months to five years in prison to be served concurrently, not consecutively.
Defense Attorney Martin Crowley started his defense by writing the names of the four woman on an easel separated by arrows to show his client’s lack of involvement. He asked Leard be ordered to drug court because she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the burglary.
The defense attorney said people committing violent offenses should be sent to prison. Leard’s crime, he said, is not a violent one that deserves a prison sentence.
Crowley said the person setting up the crime — Tiffany John — was allowed to plead guilty to a gross misdemeanor, and at most, she can be given one year in the county jail when sentenced Dec. 23.
“Being that she committed this crime while under the influence, (my client) should be given drug court” he said.
Crowley said Leard provided valuable information to authorities and told the Nice N’ Tidy owners she would do anything to help.
Aberasturi said he did not think Leard was a good candidate for drug court.
“I think she is a thief,” he said, adding the burglary was planned.
“This was thought out,” he said. “I do not see a group of drug addicts coming together to further their habit.”
The four women stole about 50 keys to various businesses and residences from the cleaning service, and District Attorney Art Mallory said authorities’ hard work prevented a major crime wave.
Susan Stenberg, who owns Nice N’ Tidy with her husband, Kirt, said she was having a nice weekend in July when she was told by her 18-year-old son that their home was burglarized. She was later informed keys had been stolen from their business.
She said her 13-year-old son was competing in a state baseball tournament that weekend, and her attention was supposed to be on her son; instead it turned out to be about the crime.
“I wanted to come back to town to see who violated me, my husband and my kids,” she said.
Stenberg said she is tired of hearing the drug excuse, and added her 13-year old feels violated and does not want to stay at the burglarized home.
“You made the choices, so did Tina,” she said. “I spent many sleepless nights (over this). I would like to move in a heartbeat. This town is going to Hell.”
She said the difficult part is looking at Leard’s mother because she is a mother, too.
Under questioning from Crowley, Stenberg said she is not OK with the plea deal John received and said people in jail sit around and read books.
Kirt Stenberg said the burglary turned his family’s life upside down, and added the community is inquiring about the crime.
“They can blame it on drugs, but they made a terrible choice, and they deserve to be punished,” he said.
He said the four women took keys to residents’ homes and businesses with one intent — to destroy their business.
Knowing their clients privacy was breached, the business had to ensure the buildings were secure. They called a locksmith to do the work. Some stolen keys belonged to Mayor Ken Tedford’s residence, business and City Hall.
“We had to take care of our clients,” Stenberg said.
He asked Aberasturi to punish Leard to the fullest extent the law allows.
Crowley tried to drive home the point that the crime could not have happened without Ford’s and John’s involvement.
He also pointed out his client was forthright on what she stole, some not reported by the Stenbergs, and Kirt, a little sarcastically said it is admirable of Leard to admit what she swiped.
Mallory said Leard admitted her part in the crime only after she was identified on a security tape and asked the prison sentences to run consecutively,
“The time for whining is over. When she stepped over that threshold, she knew it was not her home,” he said.
Leard apologized to the Stenbergs and the court.
“I am very sorry. I wish I could go back and change my actions, but I can’t,” she said.
Aberasturi said Leard’s lack of criminal history is the reason the sentences are running concurrently.
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