Soldier pleads guilty to theft

FALLON - A soldier in the U.S. Army pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Churchill County District Court to one count of grand larceny for stealing more than $3,000 from Taco Bell.

Jerimiah Christopher Roth, 26, formerly of Fallon, was sentenced to one to three years in prison. However, Roth is looking at more charges in Georgia once released from prison. He was arrested on Sept. 6 on warrants in Texas.

Roth faces forgery charges in Garden City, Ga., and theft charges in Macon, Ga., and went AWOL three times from the U.S. Army. Roth has a hold from a desertion charge at Fort Sill, Okla.

District Attorney Art Mallory said his office doesn't know Roth's rank, but he will be turned over to Georgia law enforcement, and then to the Federal Government once Roth's prison sentence is served.

"He's absolutely, to this point, refused to take responsibility," Mallory said. "He had a job at Taco Bell, and they trusted him as an employee."

According to Mallory, Roth worked at Taco Bell from July 25-30 but became frustrated with the manager and the work environment. Roth then broke into the store before it opened on July 30 and stole $3,417.92 from the restaurant.

Roth then went back to his home, packed up and left for Georgia where he committed the other crimes. Security cameras inside the store captured Roth stealing the money.

Mallory told Judge Leon Aberasturi that Roth has come up with every excuse possible, including allegations of corruption by the courts, police and DA's office. Mallory added Roth denied being in the military.

Roth's attorney, Richard Davies II, asked Aberasturi for probation because of the hold on Roth's other charges in Georgia. Davies asked Aberasturi to look at the case as a first-time offense because it was the first in Roth's string of criminal activity.

Roth also had cases dismissed in Las Vegas and Carson City for burglary and possession of stolen property, respectively. He owes about $11,000 in back child support.