Probation revoked for local man who pleaded guilty to storage unit burglary

Michael Strickland
Michael Scott Strickland’s probation was revoked when he appeared before Judge Craig Carter during the Dec. 4 Ozark County Law Day.
During his appearance on Nov. 25, Strickland was remanded to the custody of the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department and his probation violation hearing was rescheduled for Dec. 4. Strickland’s probation was then revoked on Dec. 4 after failing to successfully complete the court ordered drug court.
Previously sentenced to serve 5 years SES, Strickland’s sentence was executed and he was ordered to be transported to the Missouri Department of Correction with credit for time served. An SES, or suspended execution of sentence, means a defendant will be sentenced to a prison term but will be placed on probation and will not go to prison unless they violate the terms of that probation.
Strickland had pleaded guilty by way of Alford plea in May 2022 to second degree burglary. He was originally charged with burglary and stealing of $750 or more after he was arrested Aug. 24, 2018. Charges stem from the May 2018 theft of a ladder tree stand and dozens of 3D targets ranging from a small squirrel to a larger bear from a Theodosia storage unit.
According to a probable cause statement at the time, on May 12, 2018, the owner of the items reported that a person he spoke with had obtained the targets and tree stand, unaware that they were stolen. The man said Strickland came to his business and offered to sell the items to the man.
Unaware that the items were stolen, he bought them for his son-in-law. When he learned the items could be stolen, he immediately contacted the authorities.
According to the probable cause statement, when former Ozark County Deputy Kyle Hannaford interviewed Strickland, the defendant told the officer he had purchased the items from a man named Keith.
On May 20, 2018, Strickland’s former boss reported a Stihl leaf blower, weedeater and .22 caliber rifle missing. When questioned, Strickland told Hannaford he took the leaf blower to a Gainesville business but he didn’t know where the weedeater or rifle was. He told Hannaford that the last time he saw them they were in the boss’s storage unit.