PANAMA CITY -- A man who tried to steal a bicycle is looking at 10 years behind bars as a habitual felony offender after he was convicted Wednesday of burglary, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
Barry Reynolds grabbed a baseball bat last October when he found Donald McClure, 54, rummaging around his garage and porch. Reynolds saw McClure handling a bike and physically restrained McClure until police arrived.
McClure was convicted of burglary of a structure, a third-degree felony that would typically carry a maximum penalty of five years. Prosecutors are seeking to have him sentenced as a habitual offender, however, because McClure has been in and out of Florida prisons since 1986.
Judge Elijah Smiley scheduled a sentencing hearing for Sept. 20.