Judge Sentences Car Thief To Maximum Possible Punishment

Lake Count Common Pleas Judge Eugene Lucci listed his three guarantees in life -- death, taxes and the certainty that Curtis Wilder and John Jones would get in trouble again.

Wilder and Jones were both involved in .

Jones, 41, of Cleveland, had already pleaded guilty to his role in the ring. Consequently, -- the maximum possible.

Wilder, 42, of Bedford Heights, followed his codefendant's example and admitted to his role Tuesday morning in Lucci's court. He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in a pattern of corrupt behavior, grand theft, possession of heroin and two counts of receiving stolen property.

Once again, Lucci sentenced gave Wilder the maximum possible sentence of 5 1/2 years in prison.

The judge noted that Wilder had been to prison nine times before for theft, burglary and receiving stolen property convictions.

"He's a career criminal -- to have been to prison nine times -- he will never stop," Lucci said in an interview after the sentencing.

Lucci also fined Wilder more than $60,000, the first part of which will be used to pay restitution to his victims.

Wilder and Jones were arrested by Mentor Police in March. Officers had tracked them to the Diamond Center shopping area where they attempted to steal a Ford F-250.

Police departments from Mentor, Solon, Twinsburg, Willoughby, Wickliffe and Bedford, as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Cleveland FBI office had been tracking suspects in the ring for two weeks before the arrest.