Jail time lengthens for felon who skipped sentencing

A newly convicted felon’s extra week of freedom is proving costly.

Before that week, Jeremy A. Arnold, 28, negotiated a plea bargain that was to settle four cases with a recommendation for an eight-year sentence. The deal also called for a one-week furlough after Arnold pleaded guilty to reduced charges, but warned that failure to return as promised would result in efforts to increase his sentence.

Deputy Prosecutor Mark Cipolla could ask for sentences on various counts to be served one after the other instead of all at the same time as originally contemplated, the written agreement stated. And that’s what’s happening.

Arnold got his one-week furlough May 6. He was supposed to return for sentencing on May 13, a day after he was married, but didn’t turn himself in until a week later.

The four cases in which Arnold was convicted might have been handled together for sentencing purposes, but each is now being handled separately. The judicial round-robin began Wednesday when Superior Court Judge Michael Price gave Arnold 52/3 years for five business burglaries.

Then, on Friday, Judge Linda Tompkins added a little more than 83/4 years for a violent home-invasion robbery in which Arnold pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery.

When Arnold went back to his jail cell, the eight-year sentence for which he bargained had stretched into 141/2 years. And he was still awaiting sentencing in two more cases, involving three counts of intimidating witnesses.

It was Tompkins who signed the furlough order requiring Arnold to be electronically monitored. Police say he simply cut the monitoring device that was strapped around his ankle.

Cutting the strap is supposed to trigger an alarm, but someone with a car can easily escape before police can respond, Spokane Police Lt. Scott Stephens said.

Monitoring may work on defendants who have a strong incentive to comply but is inappropriate for those facing long prison terms, Stephens said.

Prosecutor Steve Tucker said Deputy Prosecutor Mark Cipolla, who handled Arnold’s case, violated an office policy to oppose all furloughs.

Arnold’s new convictions – for crimes late last year – constituted a violation of his probation from 1995 convictions in federal court for distributing cocaine and of carrying a firearm during a drug crime. He has already served a four-month sentence for the violation.