CEDAR CITY — A man from Spokane, Washington, who pleaded guilty to taking money from a McDonald’s clerk in Cedar City in October has been sentenced to six months in jail plus three years of probation.
Makoti Moses Fox, 27, was sentenced Monday in 5th District Court by Judge Matthew L. Bell, who suspended the prison term of up to five years associated with the single charge against Fox, a third-degree felony count of attempted robbery.
The court also waived more than $9,500 in fines and fees but ordered Fox to serve a total of 180 days in jail, with credit given for the time served since his arrest last October.
As previously reported in Cedar City News, Fox was arrested Oct. 26 in Cedar City at a convenience store across the street from the McDonald’s restaurant. It was his second arrest in as many days, with the first one occurring in Beaver County the night before after an alleged disturbance at the motel where he had stayed.
In Beaver, Fox was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors in connection with the motel incident, including theft, assault on a peace officer and criminal trespassing.
Fox had reportedly been traveling by car through the Southern Utah area, and less than 24 hours later at the McDonald’s in Cedar City, he was arrested by Cedar City Police on suspicion of robbery shortly after he grabbed money out of the hands of a cashier who was giving change back to another customer. Although less than $5 was taken, Fox was nonetheless initially charged with robbery, a second-degree felony, due to the use of “force and fear” as he took the money, the charging documents stated.
The robbery charge against Fox was later reduced to attempted robbery, a third-degree felony, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
As part of the terms of the 36-month probation, Bell also ordered Fox to complete both a mental health evaluation and a substance abuse evaluation and to follow through with any recommended treatments or classes. He was also directed to write a note of apology to his victims.
Additionally, the court noted that Fox may be released from Iron County Jail early if he is transferred in accordance with interstate compact rules to his home state of Washington.
However, Fox does still have the three misdemeanor counts pending in Beaver County. His next court hearing in that case is scheduled for March 7.
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