Iowa City man who helped steal over $1,000 in fireworks given two-day jail sentence

Lang
1/27/24

A suspect who stole over $1,000 in fireworks from an Iowa City sales tent has been given a two-day jail sentence.

That was the ruling handed down by Judge Brandon Schrock as part of a plea deal on Tuesday. 40-year-old Calvin Edwards was also fined $430.

Iowa City Police say just before 12:30am on June 24th they found Edwards and 59-year-old Curtis Seals…both of Cross Park Avenue…pushing a shopping cart full of fireworks through a parking lot near the intersection of Southgate Avenue and Keokuk Street.  The two were accused of forcing their way inside the nearby fireworks tent in the Waterfront Hy-Vee parking lot and taking a shopping cart full of merchandise. The tent had been closed for business since 9pm.

The total value of the stolen fireworks was listed at $1,113.73.

Both men were charged with 3rd Degree Burglary and 3rd Degree Theft. Charges against Seals were dismissed earlier this month. Edwards pleaded guilty to a lesser 4th Degree Theft charge. The burglary charge was dismissed.

If convicted on both charges, each man could have faced a maximum of seven years in prison.