POCATELLO — A 28-year-old Twin Falls man was arrested Saturday after turning himself in for trying to break into a Pocatello business because he was afraid passersby would beat him up, police say.
Dylan Michael Simpson has been charged with felony attempted burglary following the incident, which unfolded around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when he dialed 911 to self-report his illegal activity, according to police and court records the Idaho State Journal obtained this week.
Pocatello police responded to 328 W. Clark St. Saturday night for a man, later identified as Simpson, stating he broke a window belonging to Pocatello Running Company, police said.
“Simpson was standing by a large picture window that was completely shattered,” said police, adding that he agreed to speak to the officer and told him he was “cold, hungry and picked up two rocks from the area of First Avenue and Center Street.”
Simpson told the officer that he walked to this specific business with the intent to steal shoes from it and sell them in a different city to get money, according to the report.
“Simpson said after he broke the window, he did not want to get beat up by passersby, therefore he called 911 to turn himself in,” police said.
Simpson was charged with felony attempted burglary, arrested and transported to the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
He appeared before 6th District Magistrate Judge David A. Hooste for an arraignment hearing via video conference from the jail on Monday where his bond was set at $10,000.
Simpson is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 6 for a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors will attempt to present sufficient evidence to elevate the case from magistrate to district court for trial.
In Idaho, attempted burglary carries a maximum prison sentence and fine that is half that of burglary, which is between one and ten years and $50,000, therefore Simpson faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000 if he is convicted.
However, prosecutors have also filed a persistent violator enhancement against Simpson, which could extend any prison sentence levied against him by no less than five years and up to life.