A 20-year-old Carson City man who said he continues to steal to finance a heroin addiction was ordered Tuesday to serve 60 days in Douglas County Jail for a Carson City shoplifting conviction that violated his probation.
District Judge Dave Gamble agreed to reinstate probation for Brooks Greenlee, but ordered him to serve the jail time, undergo inpatient treatment and successfully complete Western Regional Drug Court.
"I was feeding my (heroin) addiction," Greenlee said. "It's such a hard drug to get off."
Gamble placed Greenlee on probation in February for thefts at Target, and he was arrested in Carson City on April 6.
He reportedly stole a DVD from a Carson City store.
For that offense, he was sentenced to six months in Carson City Jail and is to be released Sept. 8.
Prosecutor Laurie Trotter recommended treatment for Greenlee.
"It's clear this young man needs treatment," she said.
Greenlee was sentenced Feb. 3 for a gross misdemeanor theft charge instead of a felony.
Greenlee pleaded guilty to attempted theft, admitting he stole video games from Target on Oct. 24, 2008.
It was Greenlee's third conviction on theft-related charges in a year.
He has previously served 90 days for the Target thefts.
"Grow up, OK?" Gamble said. "There are no colleges or high schools in the United States that need heroin addicts. Unless you take your recovery and treatment seriously, you're going to die before you're 25."
