A shoplifting suspect told a judge he intended to plead guilty, but he changed his mind when the prosecution said they were going to ask for an enhanced sentence alleging he is a habitual offender.

John Eugene Middleton, 41, of Jasonville, was charged with theft with a prior conviction for theft, a Level 6 felony, when he appeared in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing and informed Judge Dena Martin that he intended to admit to the charge and did not request a public defender. A change of plea hearing was scheduled for last Thursday, May 9.

When the change of plea hearing convened, the prosecution had filed a notice of intent to seek habitual offender status, which could result in an enhanced sentence, and Middleton changed his mind and requested a public defender. Ellen Martin was appointed to represent him and a pretrial conference has been scheduled for early June.

According to Detective Paul Clark of the Linton Police Department, Middleton has been convicted of theft before, once in Hendricks County in 2011 and once in Greene County in 2016.

Det. Clark has been investigating the latest case against Middleton, starting on March 13 when he was dispatched to Walmart in Linton where employees had attempted to detain a shoplifter but were unsuccessful. The shoplifter allegedly took several items from the electronics department.

When Clark arrived, an employee explained he had witnessed a shoplifter, later identified as Middleton, take a Bluetooth speaker and several removable storage devices from electronics, then walk to the pet department where he opened a package and hid the item on himself leaving the package on a shelf, then walk to the infant department where he opened other packages, hid those items on himself and left the packaging behind. He was also accused of taking and concealing a portable hard drive.

Two employees said when Middleton started to exit the store without paying for the items, they identified themselves, but Middleton ran away from them then fled the area in his vehicle, heading north on Lone Tree Road at a high rate of speed.

The suspect successfully got away, but employees provided Det. Clark with video surveillance which Clark said confirmed the employee’s story about Middleton taking the items. Clark and another officer were able to identify Middleton as the suspect.

The total value of the items taken was reported to be $146.

A criminal case was filed against Middleton and a warrant issued for his arrest on April 29. By May 2, Middleton was in the Greene County Jail where his bond is set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of Tuesday, May 14, Middleton had not yet posted bond.