Buddy L. Ferguson, 51, of Barnhart has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following four felony burglary charges, a felony property damage charge and probation violations, court records indicate.
On Dec. 7, 2010, Ferguson, a prior offender, unlawfully entered a Casey’s General Store, 1900 N. Main St., in De Soto for the purpose of stealing items, the report said.
That same month, on Dec. 19, 2010, he unlawfully entered the BP store, 3625 Athena School Road, in De Soto, stole about $1,500 in items and damaged the building and a coin machine there, according to the report.
Between Dec. 20, 2010, and Dec. 21, 2010, Ferguson used a tool to cut a hole in the roof at Holties restaurant, 1374 Hwy. M, in Barnhart, to unlawfully enter the building and then used a prying device to get into change machines and game tables and stole money from them and a drawer, the probable-cause statement said.
Then, on Dec. 21, St. Louis County Police caught him breaking into a business there, and they contacted Jefferson County authorities, who interviewed him. Ferguson admitted to breaking into several businesses in Jefferson County, including the BP store and Holties, the report said.
In addition, Ferguson admitted to burglarizing the Express Lube, 1 Sugar Creek Center, in Fenton on Nov. 13, 2010, when he damaged a change machine trying to break into it, according to the report.
He also admitted to burglarizing the Wash City Laundromat, 610 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold on Oct. 16, 2010, as well as other places throughout the county. And, during his confession on Dec. 23, 2010, he told law enforcement officials “he was planning on keeping law enforcement busy over the Christmas holiday and was going to go on a spree at Christmas,” the report said.
Ferguson pleaded guilty to the charges and he was sentenced in August 2012 to 15 years in prison for burglarizing the Casey’s store, but the sentence was suspended and he got five years’ probation, court papers show.
In October 2011, Ferguson was sentenced to two 12-year prison terms, one each for burglarizing the BP store and Holties restaurant and to seven years for property damage at the Express Lube, but the terms were to be served concurrently, or at the same time. In addition, Ferguson was released early on one years’ probation after completing a 24-month treatment program, the report said.
However, he violated his probation, and on Feb. 9, Jefferson County Div. 6 Circuit Judge Troy A. Cardona executed the 15-year term, the two 12-year terms and the seven-year term. In addition, Cardona sentenced him to seven years for burglarizing the Wash City Laundromat. All the terms are to be served concurrently, according to the report.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Jacob T. Costello handled the cases.
The terms Ferguson was sentenced to Feb. 9 also are to be served concurrently with several others Ferguson’s already serving for an array of burglary, attempted burglary, stealing and property damage charges stemming from incidents that occurred between 2005 and 2013 in Jefferson and St. Louis counties.
Ferguson previously served prison time for a felony drug charge stemming from a February 2002 incident in St. Louis County.
He currently is in the Moberly Correctional Center.