A man has been sentenced to life without parole after being deemed a habitual criminal after 37 felony convictions.Â
The Washoe County District Attorney's Office says the case against Stephen Bartlett started in October of 2010, when Sparks Police investigated a fraudulent sale at Western Nevada Supply that had occurred earlier that month. They say Bartlett, using a false name, claimed he had placed an order for almost $9,000 in copper pipe on behalf of the Northern Nevada Correctional Center. Bartlett arrived in a rental truck and took the copper from the business. During the investigation, authorities say they learned that Bartlett had been an inmate at Stewart Conservation Center and was reported missing on October 1st.
Bartlett was located two weeks later in Southern California and was extradited to Nevada.
After serving time for his escape charge, the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office received Bartlett’s Grand Larceny case related to the Western Nevada Supply theft in 2013. Bartlett pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in May 2014 and was set to be sentenced in September of 2014, however, the DA's office says he failed to appear after having been previously released from custody.Â
The DA's office says a subsequent search for Bartlett led them to California, where he had robbed 10 banks and was captured after leading law enforcement on a lengthy pursuit. Bartlett has spent the last 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to 5 counts of Bank Robbery.
He was then extradited to Washoe County.
