Clark accepts plea bargain for string of Superior area thefts

Steven Clark’s trial in the Mineral County District Court will not take place as the result of a plea bargain agreement between Clark and Mineral County District Attorney Marcia Boris.

Sentencing will take place on April 10 and Clark faces up to 20-years in jail for a series of burglaries in the Superior area. Clark could also face fines as well as be required to pay restitution to the parties who were burglarized.

According to court documents, Clark admitted to “going into” three separate residences in the Superior area and in two cases stealing medication as well as a purse containing credit cards and identification.

As a result of the plea bargain, Clark pled guilty to four counts of burglary and three counts of theft with eight other charges being dismissed.

Clark was arrested on Sat. November 3 and bail was set at $50,000.

According to court documents, prior to his arrest Clark “made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with an individual by spitting in her hair and throwing crackers at her.”

In the first instance, Clark is accused of burglary and theft of a home in Superior. Mineral County Deputy James Balenger responded to an emergency call placed by Rose Hemem.

“Upon arrival, he (Deputy Balenger) spoke with Rose Hemem who told him that when she returned home from her appointments she noticed numerous medications were missing, along with the lock box that contained the medications,” the affirmed affidavit of probable cause reads.

“The medications that were taken were inside the locked box that was inside the house. Deputy Balenger asked Hemem if anyone knew she was going to be gone for her medical appointment.

She told him that the only two people who knew were Ricky Miller and Steven Eugene Clark.”

The affidavit further states that all of the doors at the residence were locked and there was no sign of forced entry.

Hemem added that Miller, who is her neighbor, saw Clark pull into the driveway while she was at her appointments.

When interviewed, Miller told Deputy Balenger that he saw Clark pull into Hemem’s driveway and observed him get out of an Izusu Trooper. Miller said that he saw Clark run towards the front door and “disappear from view.”

“Deputy Balenger interviewed Clark on August 1, 2012,” the affidavit reads. “Clark admitted to being at Hemem’s home on July 26, and to seeing Miller and the loader, but denied getting out of his car, entering Hemem’s home, or stealing her medication.”

The second incident took place on October 21,2012 when Deputy Tony Lapinski was called out to the home of Dan Ireland.

“Ireland told Deputy Lapinski that he had returned from hunting with his daughter, Amanda, and saw a blue SUV parked at his residence,” the affidavit reads.

“Ireland said that he parked on the opposite side of the SUV and saw Steven Clark walk around the side of the residence and approach him.”

According to Ireland, Clark attempted to sell him a chainsaw but he declined. After Clark left, Ireland entered his home and noticed the family’s video game system had been moved.

Deputy Lapinski asked Ireland if anything else was moved or missing from his home.

After Ireland searched his home, he called Mineral County Dispatch and notified them that he had found something missing.

When Deputy Lapinski returned to the home he was informed by Ireland that a Verizon Internet card was missing.