Circleville, OH – Eric L. Benford, a Circleville resident, pled guilty this week to theft, a fifth-degree felony, and failure to appear for his court date last year. Benford was sentenced to 12 months for theft and 18 months for failure to appear, with both sentences to run concurrently. However, the judge stayed the sentences, placing him on three years of community control.
The charges stem from an incident on January 24, 2024, when officers responded to a theft in progress at Walmart, located at 1470 S. Court St. Authorities identified Benford and his accomplice, Miranda J. Setree, as the suspects. The pair had fled the scene in a U-Haul pickup truck.
Thanks to a quick response and coordination with Ross County authorities, Ohio State Highway Patrol units stopped the suspects’ vehicle on US 23 at Bridge St. in Chillicothe. The stolen goods, which included calculators, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, snack cakes, rotisserie chicken, fried chicken, and a glove gift set, were recovered.
Setree admitted to participating in the theft and stated that Benford had planned to sell the calculators. Benford declined to answer any questions, and Setree was transported to Adena Hospital after complaining of chest pains. A state-wide arrest warrant was later issued for her. The stolen items were impounded by the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, and Setree’s dog was taken into custody by the Dog Warden.
Benford was arrested and charged with felony theft, and later transported to the Pickaway County Jail. With his recent plea, Benford will now serve three years of community control as part of his sentence.
