Eric Wentz

The preliminary hearing for a Minot man charged with theft of a cell phone has been canceled after he entered a change of plea to guilty.

Eric Wentz, 46, Minot, entered a change of plea of guilty to the charge of theft $1,000-$10,000, a Class C felony, in North Central District Court on Wednesday before Judge Gary Lee.

According to court documents, Wentz was charged on Feb. 5 after an employee of a Minot business reported a customer had stolen her cell phone and the theft was captured on the business’s surveillance video.

The victim’s cell phone was valued at $1,100, and investigators identified the customer as Wentz. Wentz was known to law enforcement, who located him at his residence at a Minot hotel. Wentz told police he could produce the cell phone and was detained after handing it over. The device was returned to the victim, but it was determined a stylus and SIM card were still missing. Wentz told investigators he had given it to another individual staying in his hotel room. The items were retrieved by law enforcement when this individual slid them under the room’s door.

Lee sentenced Wentz to serve 23 days of a five year sentence in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with credit for 23 days already served. Lee ordered Wentz to complete 18 months of supervised probation and pay $525 in court fines and fees.