Teens sentenced for second felony theft

A teenage husband and wife and their 23-year-old co-defendant were sentenced Monday in the theft of a guitar and $600 from Pizza Factory in Minden.

Amanda and Matthew Golden, both 19, and in Douglas County Jail for burglarizing a Gardnerville martial arts studio the same week, received three-year suspended sentences and three years of probation.

District Judge Michael Gibbons ordered Matthew Golden to serve an additional six months in jail concurrent to his current sentence.

Amanda Golden received an additional 100 days concurrent to her sentence.

Phillip Harrison was sentenced to a suspended one-year sentence in Douglas County Jail for attempted grand theft, a gross misdemeanor. He was placed on two years probation and ordered to complete any recommended treatment for substance abuse or mental health.

The codefendants are responsible for $880 restitution and must send apologies to the victims within 10 days.

"This brings an end to this chapter," Gibbons said. "You have to remember you created victims in this community. The businesses didn't feel safe. You created more problems in these tough economic times."

"There was no reason for this to happen. It was really stupid," Gibbons said.

In the Northwest Martial Arts break-in, Gibbons sentenced the husband and wife to five years probation that includes jail time.

The Goldens admitted they entered Pizza Factory after hours through a back door with a broken lock. Matthew Golden said he removed money from the cash register. Amanda Golden said she took the guitar from the owner's office and a tip jar.

Harrison said he was outside the restaurant serving as lookout.

Gibbons said he was lenient with Harrison because he had no priors and had some development issues.

"You didn't profit. You might not have even known you were committing a crime. I think you learned a pretty tough lesson," Gibbons said.

Amanda Golden and Harrison apologized; Matthew Golden had no comment.

"I'm sorry for what I did. I feel guilty," Harrison said. "I just want to say 'sorry' to the victims."

Gibbons ordered Matthew Golden to follow any directives from the U.S. Army. The crimes occurred while he was home on leave.

Lawyer Tod Young said so far his client had not faced any military sanctions.

Gibbons said it was unusual to have defendants arrested for new felonies while they were under sentence for prior cases.

He said he suspended their second prisons sentences because of their age, lack of prior records and their behavior in jail in cooperating with investigators on the new charges.

Amanda Golden's lawyer, Derrick Lopez, told Gibbons the couple's relationship was over and they were in the process of ending their marriage through annulment or divorce.