OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces today that
Colton Hovey, dob: 3/31/1995 of Ozark, Missouri was found guilty of both counts: stealing and trespass, after a jury trial in front of the Honorable Judge Doug Bacon on March 24, 2016.
The jury deliberated approximately 25 minutes before reaching its verdict. Hovey was found guilty for an incident that occurred on December 26,2014 in the W. McGuffey and N. 10th Street area in Ozark, Missouri.
Evidence adduced at trial included that the defendant was observed taking mail out of mailboxes. When law enforcement arrived, the defendant hid behind a tree and then ran. The defendant was observed by an officer hopping over a fence from the backyard of a residence. Officers found mail to a resident in the area that had fallen out of the defendant’s jacket.
Formal sentencing is set for May 4,2016. The jury recommended a punishment of six (6)
months in the Christian County Jail and a fine on the stealing count and a fine on the trespass count.