BY DAN HILDEBRAN
A Green Cove Springs man who ignored a no-trespassing sign because “everybody has no-trespass signs now” was sentenced to 90 months in prison.
Richard W. Carney pleaded to attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal mischief with property damage, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to a December 13, 2023, arrest report, the property owner told deputies that he received an alert on his phone from a camera on his property.
The alert showed a man wearing camouflage clothing, a face mask, and gloves walking in front of a shed. The intruder was carrying bolt cutters. The property is located near County Road 18 between Hampton and Theressa.
The victim told deputies that when he arrived at his property, he saw the defendant exit a wooded area nearby and that Carney approached the victim, claiming his truck had run out of gas.
Deputies arrived soon thereafter.
“Richard advised that his truck ran out of gas,” wrote Deputy Taylor Sanders in the report. “Richard advised that he (saw) the front gate closed and the no trespass warning sign on the gate. Richard stated that everybody has no trespass signs now and decided to still enter onto the property.”
A search of the defendant’s vehicle resulted in the discovery of a .308 rifle and three rounds of ammunition.
Carney’s prior convictions include attempted robbery with a firearm, burglary while in possession of a firearm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, prescription forgery, use of another person’s identification without consent, grand theft, and uttering worthless checks.
The maximum sentence for the misdemeanor and three felonies for which he pleaded was 26 years.
