Cedar Rapids man convicted on 9th burglary

A 52-year-old Cedar Rapids man was convicted Tuesday for his ninth residential burglary and 15th overall criminal conviction.

Darrell Bolden, originally charged with second-degree burglary, was convicted on a lesser charge of second-degree attempted burglary by a Linn County jury following a one and half day trial . The jury deliberated about two hours.

The attempted burglary charge carries a five year prison term but Bolden could face up to 15 years because Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden will ask the court to consider him a habitual offender, which has a sentencing enhancement to increase the prison time up to 15 years.

Vander Sanden said Wednesday he filed the sentencing enhancement because Bolden is a "career criminal with a lengthy criminal record."

A hearing on the special sentencing will be set later this week.

According to trial testimony, a neighbor testified to seeing Bolden drive his bicycle into the victim's garage and was going through a car when the neighbor confronted him. The neighbor brought his pitbull with him and the dog bit Bolden. When police arrested Bolden two weeks later they found dog bites on him.

The defense maintained Bolden's innocence during the trial, and claimed the neighbor was on probation and his dog was running at large so he made up the story about Bolden to avoid getting a probation violation.

Bolden also faces another charge of attempted burglary in a different case. He is accused of attempting to break into a house. His trial in this case is set Aug. 5.