Christopher Platt

A Dickinson man charged with theft of a motor vehicle and unlawful use of plates was sentenced to a year and a day with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation following a guilty plea secured by a plea agreement.

Christopher Platt, 31, Dickinson, entered a change of plea to guilty on Thursday to a Class C felony count of theft-take-$1,000-$10,000 and a Class B misdemeanor unlawful use of plates-display. A second Class B misdemeanor driving under revocation charge was dismissed.

According to court documents, a Ward County Sheriff deputy was on patrol on Dec. 9, 2023, when the deputy observed a 1996 Honda Civic on Valley Street driving at a high rate of speed and committing a number of traffic violations. A search of the vehicle’s plates found it was registered to a 2000 Toyota Corolla, and the deputy initiated a traffic stop.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Platt and a passenger was identified as Makayla Smith, 27, Mandan. The deputy questioned Platt said he had purchased the vehicle two days prior, had no insurance or registration card and hadn’t received a title or any documentation for the purchase. A vehicle status check for the vehicle’s VIN revealed it had been stolen from Mandan on Dec. 7, 2023, and Platt and Smith were detained. A search of Smith’s purse and of the vehicle discovered a variety of drug-related items. Both Platt and Smith were arrested and booked into the Ward County Jail.

Smith was charged with three Class A misdemeanors and an infraction for drug and paraphernalia possession. Smith’s case is listed as inactive, according to court records, and a bench warrant was issued along with an order to forfeit bond on March 11 after she failed to appear for a pretrial conference on March 6.

Judge Stacy Louser sentenced Platt to first serve one year and one day of a five-year sentence with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with credit for seven days already served. Platt is required to complete two years of supervised probation upon release, and pay $385 in restitution and a total of $625 in court fines and fees.