CEDAR RAPIDS – A man who, along with his brother, stole scientific calculators from Wal-Mart stores in multiple states – including Iowa – and shipped the calculators to New York City, was sentenced on February 4, 2014, in federal court in Cedar Rapids to thirty months in federal prison.
Jacob Nelson, 31, from Wichita, Kansas, received the prison term after a November 19, 2013, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce.
At the November 19, 2013 plea hearing, Nelson admitted to agreeing with others to transport over $5,000 in stolen scientific calculators. Nelson further admitted that on August 13, 2013, he and a co-conspirator drove from Wisconsin into Iowa in possession of over 200 stolen scientific calculators valued at more than $26,000. Nelson also admitted that on August 13, 2013, he and a co-conspirator stole fourteen scientific calculators valued at $1,295 from the Wal-Mart in Maquoketa, Iowa. Nelson and his co-conspirator were arrested driving away from the Wal-Mart. Police officers then searched Nelson’s car and found hundreds of stolen calculators and two loaded handguns.
Nelson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Nelson was sentenced to thirty months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and he was ordered to make $163,974.96 in restitution to Wal-Mart. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Nelson’s brother, Caleb Nelson, 29, also from Wichita, Kansas, previously pled guilty on January 21, 2014 for his role in the conspiracy to transport stolen calculators. Caleb Nelson’s sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Maquoketa Police Department.
