Court Sentences Serial Burglar, District Attorneys Respond
On March 29, 2023, in Department 3 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Timothy Bethell, age 31, of Winchester (Riverside County), to a term of 5 years, 4 months in local state prison (1170 (h)) after pleading guilty to 20 counts: 17 felonies of theft, burglary, attempted burglary, and vandalism, two misdemeanor counts of vandalism, and one misdemeanor count of possession of a smoking device.
The crimes were committed between mid-December 2022 through January 2023 against nine downtown Visalia businesses. The crimes encompassed the breaking of windows and doors and thefts of cash and electronics. Over $20,000 in theft, damages, lost revenue, and lost wages were reported.
Bethell has an extensive criminal history starting with a 2014 felony drug conviction from Fresno County. Bethell began his first crime spree in August 2021 when he burglarized, vandalized, and stole from seven Visalia businesses. After his arrest, Bethell pleaded no contest to 14 felony charges of burglary and vandalism. He was sentenced to 4 years suspended state prison and 2 years’ probation in September 2021. Bethell was released to a recovery program but immediately absconded and failed to report to probation. Eight days later, Bethell committed and pleaded no contest to an additional felony burglary at a Visalia Walgreens where he stole $2,800 in cash and merchandise. However, instead of sentencing Bethell to prison per the prior 4-year suspended prison sentence, the court sentenced him to one-year local state prison and one year of mandatory supervision. Bethell was released from custody in May 2022, and, by request, his mandatory supervision was transferred to his home county of Riverside.
In the summer of 2022 while in Riverside County, Bethell committed even further vandalism and thefts and pleaded guilty to 6 more felonies against five businesses. In early December 2022, he was sentenced to 3 years local state prison but was released three days later due to jail crowding. Bethell failed to report to probation and then returned to Tulare County where he committed the noted offenses for Wednesday’s sentencing.
“This defendant epitomizes the dysfunction caused by the passage of soft on crime policies such as AB 109 and propositions 47 and 57. His wake of destruction crosses county lines and irreparably impacts small businesses everywhere he travels. Windows and doors can be fixed, but lost earnings, wages, and cancelled insurance policies cause real harm to real people trying to make a living,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward. “These radical policies pushed by Governor Newsom’s administration have removed many of the tools prosecutors have to hold career criminals like this accountable. Having a court refuse to use the limited tools available and not sentence him to the maximum punishment allowed is exceedingly frustrating. Had he been placed in jail previously on his prior cases, he would not have been in a position to harm more victims.”
“This defendant has proven one thing and that is when he is not in custody, he will victimize another hard-working business owner. Our office argued that he deserved no more chances. We received several letters from the community voicing their frustration and asking for real punishment. We share in their frustration that a maximum commitment was not ordered,” Ward continued.
Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin also responded to the sentencing.
“I join District Attorney Tim Ward and share his concerns regarding AB109 and Prop 47 having had a disastrous impact on our communities. These laws have significantly diminished the ability of local prosecutors to hold repeat offenders accountable for their criminal behavior. Unfortunately, the Bethell case is not an exception or an outlier but all too common. The justice system has become a revolving door for thieves and vandals. They can count on being released early from their jail or prison sentences if there is any punishment at all. This untenable situation has left us unable to deter this rampant criminality and lawlessness,” Hestrin said.
In total, Bethell now possesses 39 felony convictions. A restitution hearing is schedule for April 19, 2023. Bethell’s maximum exposure under the law was 7 years, 8 months in local prison.
The case was investigated by the Visalia Police Department.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494