A 29-year-old Freedom man arrested on a warrant for theft and invasion of privacy on Aug 2 pled guilty Aug. 3 to both charges. 

Cody John Merriman was arrested on Aug. 2 by Greene County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Jordan Allor on a warrant issued on May 10 for theft and invasion of privacy-violating a protective order. He was previously arrested on these charges, but when he failed to attend a court hearing, a warrant was issued for his arrest. When he appeared in Greene Superior Court on Aug. 3, he plead guilty to both Class A Misdemeanor charges. 

According to a probable cause affidavit written by Linton Police Department Officer JR Blazier on March 31, the Linton Police Department received a call from a Wal-Mart Asset Protection employee regarding a male — later identified as Merriman – attempting to fraudulently return several items. According to the employee, Merriman and a female had taken several items off the shelf and returned them at the service desk using a prior receipt. It was later determined the receipt used to fraudulently return items was from the Wal-Mart in Spencer. 

The Asset Protection Employee, according to the probable cause affidavit, informed Allor Merriman and the female had been spotted in the store with a large blue tote inside of a cart and were filling the tote with items. It was allegedly believed they were going to leave the store without paying for the items. 

While scanning the camera system, Allor noticed a male subject, matching Merriman’s description, exiting the lawn and garden center carrying a large blue and white box. It appeared, Allor wrote in the probable cause affidavit, the male did not pay for the item. Allor exited the store and went into the store’s parking lot where the male, identified as Merriman, was attempting to put the box in his vehicle. When asked for a receipt, Merriman said he was looking for it on his phone. Merriman was asked to come back inside the store to talk to the officer. He was advised, according to the probable cause affidavit, he had been captured on camera returning several items. Before he could respond, the female walked out of the lawn and garden center pushing a card full of merchandise. 

Returned items, which were never actually paid for, as well as other items taken from the store without payment totaled $476.76. Cash and gift cards given for returned items were given back to the store. 

As the two individuals were placed in restraints and being transported to a patrol vehicle, Sgt. Allor spoke with the female regarding a no contact order she had in place against Merriman. She alleged she had been trying to drop the order; however, Merriman admitted he had been served the order in court and knew he was not to be around the female.