Laramie Man Sentenced to Prison on Accessory Charge

A man who pleaded guilty to a felony charge stemming from May 2015 burglary was sentenced to serve prison time Friday in Albany County District Court.

Timothy Blaine Gaffield, 32, was sentenced to 4-7 years in prison with credit for time served after previously pleading guilty to one count of accessory to burglary. He was also ordered to pay $335 in restitution and $250 to the Division of Victim Services. Judge Jeffrey Donnell included in the sentencing order a recommendation for Gaffield to be placed in the intensive treatment unit.

Gaffield was arrested May 23, 2015 after Laramie police officers received a report of a burglary around 9:30 a.m. and began searching for the vehicle involved, described as a dark-colored Saturn passenger car last seen at McDonalds West. A laptop, charge cord and gas can were reported stolen from an apartment.

Officers found the Saturn as it entered I-80 eastbound from Snowy Range Road. Police stopped the vehicle and told the driver, Gaffield, that he was being stopped for a complaint of burglary.

Court documents say that after speaking with police, Gaffield opened with his trunk and produced the computer from beneath a pile of clothes. The laptop had wear marks matching a description given by the victim.

Gaffield was arrested on a warrant.

According to the police affidavit, witnesses said Gaffield kept watch in front of the victim's residence while the other party involved, Christopher White, pried at the lock on the door, entered the residence and returned with the laptop and power cord.

Police later found the stolen gas can in the back of a pickup at the home of Gaffield's mother, where Gaffield earlier claimed he had been all morning.

Gaffield admitted to the crime at a Dec. 8 change of plea hearing, but failed to report to Probation and Parole for the presentence investigation later that day. He also missed a March 14 sentencing hearing.

The defense requested Friday that Gaffield be sentenced to probation. But given Gaffield's failure to report to Probation and Parole, missed his original sentencing date and the fact that this was his third felony conviction -- not to mention Gaffield's seven-page criminal history -- Judge Jeffrey Donnell said probation was not appropriate.

"The thing you have to consider with probation is, what's the likelihood for success?" said Donnell. "In this case, you couldn't make it from this courtroom to twenty-second street."

Donnell made it clear that Gaffield was not to receive credit for time served on a charge out of Laramie County, a matter that remains open. Gaffield will be transferred back to the Laramie County Detention Center pending resolution of that charge.

"I wish you'd made different decisions, Mr. Gaffield," Donnell said. "You didn't leave me any choice here at all."