One of the two men accused of stealing an assortment of candy bars and other items from a Jasonville store last summer appeared in court this afternoon, refused an attorney and said he intended to plead guilty.

Rai William Stranger, 28, of Jasonville, was summoned to be in court for an initial hearing early in October but he failed to appear. The summons was returned unserved at the address the court had for him, so a new date was set and a new summons was sent to an updated address ordering him to appear in late October.

The second summons was also returned unclaimed and again he failed to show so a warrant was issued for his arrest and it’s been outstanding since late October.

Then last Saturday, December 8, Stranger was released from the Vermillion County Jail and his name appeared on the jail log in Greene County. Today, Tuesday, December 11, he finally appeared in court for his initial hearing.

During the hearing, Stranger was formally charged with theft, a Class A misdemeanor. He declined a court-appointed attorney and said he intended to admit to the charge. A date has been set for a change of plea hearing.

Stranger was one of the two men, apparently in need of chocolate, accused of stealing Milky Ways, M&Ms, Twix and Snickers bars, Reese’s snacks and one king-size 3 Musketeers bar along with soda, a hair brush and a haircutting kit, plus spray paint, from the Dollar General store in Jasonville back on Wednesday, August 8.

Jasonville Police Chief James Gadberry was off-duty and was shopping in the Dollar store around 9:17 that night when he saw Stranger, wearing a backpack, and the other man leaving the store. Then someone stopped the officer and told him the two had been in the back of the store with an armload of stuff and an empty backpack, but they just walked out empty handed, with a full backpack.

Outside, Gadberry saw them walking and yelled at them to stop. They didn’t stop and it was some time before Gadberry was able to catch up with them. Although the items allegedly stolen were recovered, the two men were not arrested that night but charges were filed later.