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WAILUKU -- A man whose "small-time property offenses" led to a felony conviction was sentenced Wednesday to a six-month jail term.
Shonn Dewitt, 47, who also was placed on four years' probation, said he wanted the chance to change.
"I'm ashamed of myself," he said.
After being arrested March 3 for shoplifting more than $100 of whiskey and wine from Kihei Safeway, Dewitt was charged with habitual property crime based on his criminal record that includes three petty misdemeanor convictions within the past 10 years.
"There's a lot of people like Shonn who are committing small-time property offenses, nothing near the felony level," said Deputy Public Defender Zach Raidmae.
But with the habitual property crime offense, "these people are getting arrested for what they normally do" and facing a felony charge, Raidmae said.
"Does he normally steal and trespass?" 2nd Circuit Judge Loo asked.
"Yes," Raidmae said. "They're all being put on notice that there's this habitual property crime."
After spending about five months in jail, Dewitt was "in a place where he's ready to stop this nonsense" that includes convictions in multiple states, Raidmae said.
"Now he knows that shoplifting one dollar from any store gets him exposure of five years in prison," he said.
Deputy Prosecutor Jeffery Temas said Dewitt is able-bodied and could have been working so he could go into the store and buy alcohol.
"We have to wonder, why did he just spend 3,624 hours of his life in jail over stealing some liquor," Temas said.
"He obviously had an addiction to alcohol because it takes him to the point where he's not working," Temas said. "He's stealing.
"Small-time property offenses do add up and especially if it's a career of doing this."
Dewitt had pleaded no contest to second-degree theft.
In sentencing Dewitt, 2nd Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo said Safeway had reported that Dewitt routinely went into the store and stole.
"This is one of the few times they were able to catch you," Loo told Dewitt.
"But for the fact that a lot of your prior convictions are older, you would be looking at a prison term," she told Dewitt. "When you steal something that costs $1.99, when you trespass or commit other crimes, you will be doing a prison term."
Referring to the defendant's name, Loo said, "You should be full of wit. You shouldn't be witless."
As part of his sentence, Dewitt was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and not consume alcohol or drugs. He was ordered not to enter Kihei Safeway and to write a letter apologizing to the store.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.