The Troubles of Josephine Countyhas been a welcoming invitation to criminals.
“As a result these lawless transients who basically just commit crimes at will without any consequences have become a problem for the city,” said attorney Matt Corey.
Corey from the Josephine County District Attorney’s office has seen the same people come through the court process again and again. But he said one name stands out.
“Charles Petty’s name just kept coming through, coming through, he became the poster boy of the transients issues here in Grants Pass.”
Petty is no stranger to crime in southern Oregon. From 1990 to 2005, he had a total of 24 convictions in Jackson County.
And then according Corey, he’s been a problem for the past 5 years.
In fact in those 5 years he’s been convicted nine times for theft, 11 times for trespass, twice for disorderly conduct, once for carrying a concealed weapon and once for a felon in possession of a restricted weapon but never did any serious time.
On Thursday Judge Thomas Hull sentenced him to one year in prison on charges of theft, trespassing and disorderly conduct.
While Corey was hoping that petty’s sentence would have been longer, he knows at least for now, law enforcement can focus their attention elsewhere.
“He’s more of a drain on resources when he’s out walking the streets than he is if we put him in theJosephine CountyJail.”
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