By KATIE JOHNSON

Niles Daily Star

CASSOPOLIS — A Three Rivers felon was sentenced in Cass County Circuit Court Friday to jail for stealing a Niles man’s credit card while he was on parole.

Judge Michael Dodge sentenced Oscar Schultz, 30, to 270 days in the Cass County Jail with no work release.

On Oct. 14, 2009, an individual notified Schultz of a stolen credit card belonging to Roger Tracey, of Prospect Point, Niles. He took the card and made hundreds of dollars in purchases at the Wal-Mart in Three Rivers and Meijer in South Bend.

Schultz pleaded guilty to felon identity theft July 9.

He has an extensive record of prior convictions, including assault and battery in 1994 and possession of marijuana in 2006 and 2008.

“I’m not denying I made a bad situation,” Schultz told the court Friday, adding, “I didn’t use it (the credit card) for extracurricular things that weren’t needed at the time.”

Dodge was unsympathetic to Schlutz’s explanation of his purchases.

“You’ve still stealing them,” he said.