A Hollywood man has been sentenced to seven years in jail for violating his probation in a case that goes back to 2008. John Reeder, 44, of Hollywood was sentenced to the suspended portion of his sentence after he pled guilty in District Court to three separate offenses that occurred in 2013. Those guilty pleas constituted violation of the probation condition that he “obey all laws.”
Reeder pled guilty to Theft Scheme over $500 in March of 2008 and Judge Michael Stamm gave him a break by imposing a suspended seven-year sentence. As the judge tells every defendant who receives a suspended sentence, they can expect it to be imposed if they violate their probation. Reeder, who is a career criminal, did just that by breaking the law on three separate occasions in 2013, for crimes ranging from Burglary, Trespassing and Theft Scheme ($1,000 to $10,000).
The 2008 conviction stemmed from a 2007 case in which Reeder and three other men were charged with stealing catalytic converters from cars.
During his Violation of Probation sentencing hearing on Monday, Reeder’s attorney, Public Defender Sean Moran told the judge of his client: “Every problem stems from alcohol and drug use.” Moran added that his client is law-abiding “until a stressor hits him and that is his undoing.” He said he often hangs out with the wrong crowd, although Moran said those weren’t excuses and his client admitted that.
Moran asked that the back-up time not be imposed but the judge lived up to his word in imposing the seven-year sentence. He did give Reeder credit for the 101 days he has been in jail since being arrested on his most recent offense.
The judge allowed Reeder to apply for the Patuxent Institute which is a penal facility with the most counseling in the state. Moran said of his client, “He has never had the benefit of any counseling in his life.”
Reeder is scheduled to be sentenced in St. Mary’s County District Court on February 6 to the three charges there to which he has pled guilty. Whatever sentences he receives there could add onto his jail time.
