CRIME AND (NO) PUNISHMENT - CHIEF THIEF WALKS

By: 
Steve Chapman

Joshua Bruce

Law. Co. Prosec. Attorney Trotter agrees to probation for disgraced, former Miller Police Chief Bruce
 
Bruce caught forging records, stealing money, guns from Miller in 2017; 7 of 8 charges dropped, pleads guilty
 
A former Miller Chief of Police avoided jail time on Tuesday, May 11, when he made an Alford plea to a single count of receiving stolen property, a Class C felony. Joshua Bruce was given a suspended execution of a seven-year prison sentence and five years of supervised probation. An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which the accused states they are innocent, but admits the prosecution’s evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if the case goes to trial.
Bruce, originally charged with eight counts of receiving stolen property, made the plea as part of an agreement with the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office. As part of the deal, seven of the counts were dropped, and Bruce paid $15,000 in restitution.
Bruce was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 2017. According to the probable cause statement in the case, the investigation determined that Bruce stole about $27,481 in payroll, donation money and equipment from the city of Miller between September of 2011 and May 4, 2017. The MSHP trooper who investigated Bruce said he managed to do this by “forging numerous time records for his brother, Randall Bruce.” At the time, Randall Bruce was a lieutenant with the Miller Police Department.
The trooper also determined that Bruce stole 11 firearms that were missing from evidence; at least four were recovered.
Randall Bruce was also charged in the investigation, however, during a Miller Board of Aldermen meeting on Oct. 24, 2019, it was announced that charges against him had been dropped after he paid $6,272.00 in restitution.
In addition to the money he paid in restitution, Joshua Bruce must also pay $2,197.50 for fees the county incurred during the case.
A request for comment regarding the case made to Don Trotter, Lawrence County prosecuting attorney, had received no reply as of press time.

Category:

Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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