A Bakersfield College football player has been convicted of second degree robbery after being charged in the case of a pair of Apple store thefts that happened back in August and September.
Charles Ray Mitchell agreed to a plea deal on October 18, and five other felony charges were dismissed in exchange.
Back in September, Bakersfield Police officers were called to the Apple store at the Valley Plaza Mall for a report of theft.
Witnesses said that a black man in his 20s with a slim build came into the store, grabbed a 2018 MacBook Pro laptop and tried to flee. Witnesses say a security guard confronted the suspect, but the suspect allegedly punched the guard in the face and fled in a blue Dodge Avenger.
Police say Mitchell stole $8,080 worth of property.
According to police, employees said that the same suspect was responsible for a previous theft of more than $5,000 in iPhones in August. Employees said that they later saw some of the same items on the website "Offer Up". This investigation eventually lead the officers to Charles Mitchell, whose appearance matched the surveillance footage.
Officers said that Mitchell told police that he is a member of the B.C. football team. A player profile for a Charles Mitchell can be found on the B.C. football website, however, he is not listed on the roster.
23ABC News reached out to the college about Mitchell's status with the program and at the college, but the school has not yet responded.
Mitchell was also involved in a hit and run crash on August 15, two weeks after the theft and officers from that investigation were able to identify him as the same person. That case is still pending.
Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16. He faces up to three years in prison, and must pay restitution for everything he stole.
According to BPD back in August, there were over 30 incidents involving theft since January 1,2018 inside the Apple store that BPD was investigating.
