Couple gets probation, jail time in burglaries

A teenage couple who admitted a series of burglaries at a Gardnerville martial arts studio were sentenced to probation Monday that includes incarceration in Douglas County Jail.

Matthew Golden, 19, the admitted mastermind of the October break-ins, was home on leave from U.S. Army when he committed the burglaries. He pleaded guilty to principal to a burglary and was sentenced to a suspended five-year sentence in Nevada State Prison.

District Judge Michael Gibbons ordered Golden to serve one year in Douglas County Jail and pay more than $8,000 restitution to the victim at $200 a month.

His wife, Amanda Golden, 19, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary. She was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended, and ordered to serve nine months in Douglas County Jail.

She is to pay $1,085 restitution at $100 a month.

Gibbons placed the Goldens on five years' probation and gave them credit for 105 days in custody.

"You are extremely lucky that you are not being sent to state prison," Gibbons told Matthew Golden. "There is a chance you both can be salvaged."

Also at issue was whether Matthew Golden was absent without leave from the U.S. Army at the time of the burglaries.

According to prosecutor Laurie Trotter, Golden had two weeks leave and failed to report for duty at Fort Hood, Texas.

Douglas County Sheriff's Investigator Jeff Schemenauer said he received a copy of Golden's orders from his mother and there was no record of emergency leave as Golden claimed.

Schemenauer said he had difficulty getting information about Golden from Army officials.

He did produce Golden's basic training certificate and diploma showing he graduated from military police training.

According to reports, Golden and an unidentified juvenile broke into Northwest Martial Arts between Oct. 3-5 and took cash, credit cards and checks worth $5,500.

Golden allegedly returned Oct. 13-15 with Amanda Golden and she took at least $400 in cash.

According to the complaint, Matthew Golden drove Amanda to the Gardnerville studio and waited in a car while she pried open a door with a credit card or a knife.

On Oct. 15, the owner of the studio, believing the burglars would strike again, was at the facility and detained Amanda Golden until deputies arrived.

Amanda Golden called her mother from jail, admitted the attempted break-in, and told her that Matthew drove away when the deputies arrived and stranded her in the parking lot, according to audiotapes from the jail's telephone system.

He was arrested and reportedly admitted the burglaries were his idea and that he drove the getaway car in previous burglaries.

Trotter argued in favor of prison for Matthew Golden.

"The state's position is that his offense is much more serious than Amanda's," Trotter said. "He co-opted Amanda and a juvenile, he planned the burglaries, he trained Amanda how to use burglary tools. He probably used his military police training in these burglaries. He should be held to a higher standard. It was a very calculated plan, carried out with the intent to steal."

Attorney Tod Young, representing Matthew Golden, said Trotter based her statements on supposition and speculation.

"He's 19, he's very young. They did this together. He's taken the burglary conviction and wants inpatient treatment. He acknowledges what he did was wrong. He's been remorseful. He has a future," Young said.

Gibbons told Amanda Golden she could apply for in-patient treatment while she was in jail, but he wanted her husband to wait until he was released.

"You need to serve more time," Gibbons said. "This is a very serious crime. You're going to get one shot at probation. If you decide not to change, I will have no hesitation sending you to prison."