Bobby Joe Springfield pled guilty to criminal trespass and burglary in order to avoid what could have cost him two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Instead, Bobby Springfield, who burglarized property owned by Larry McClendon on December 16, 2007, received six months supervision and had to pay only court costs and a $300 fine.

No one knows why Bobby Joe Springfield decided to commit burglary in Texas that night. The fact that he was not charged with breaking and entering the premises but trespass could indicate that he did not have to break into the building owned by Larry McClendon. Perhaps he was employed by McClendon and had a key to the premises. Apparently he decided to help himself to a few of the belongings of Mr. McClendon, although his motives do not appear in the court papers.

Although he was indicted for a felony charge, the charge was pled down to a misdemeanor. This often occurs in courts to alleviate the caseload and is used for non-violent offenders. The fact that he was indicted on a felony charge indicates that Bobby Joe Springfield did not commit petty theft. A felony charge is usually when there was a substantial amount of property stolen and compounded with another charge as well. Bobby Springfield was indicted on one felony count for burglary and one misdemeanor charge for criminal trespass to property. This indicates that he stole a substantial amount of property but did not use violent force as a means to break into the building. Breaking and entering carries a felony charge.

A plea bargain is an agreement struck between the prosecutor for the state and the defense attorney. It entails pleading guilty, saving the state the time and money to proceed with a jury trial and getting off with a lighter sentence. Years ago, plea bargains were unheard of, but today they are commonplace in the American justice system. Even in a state like Texas, noted for its no-nonsense approach to crime, plea bargains to reduce a felony count of criminal trespass, burglary to a misdemeanor is not unheard of today. Had this been 50 years ago, Bobby Joe Springfield would certainly have done jail time for his crime.

The order for the plea bargain was entered on January 21, 2009. Now Bobby Joe Springfield has to stay clear of the law for the next six months or he can receive a stiffer sentence and be subjected to more fines. It is nearly time for Bobby Springfield to be off of supervision, so time will tell if he decides to stay within the law in the future.

Some criminals who commit crimes like criminal trespass and burglary, repent once they have been threatened with jail time and go through the court process. Others are unrepentant and continue to commit crimes without regard for the law. Time will tell if Bobby Springfield is truly sorry for what he has done. Or just sorry that he got caught doing it.