A man held for nearly five weeks by militants in Nigeria has pleaded no contest to stealing lawn chairs from a dollar store, reportedly for use at a party celebrating his return.
Cody Oswalt, 23, was among nine Houston-based Willbros Group Inc. workers abducted by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta in a Feb. 18 raid on a barge in the oil-rich African country. The hostages were eventually released unharmed.
Oswalt returned home March 28 and was arrested on petty larceny charges less than a week later. He was fined $400 and sentenced to six months’ probation on Wednesday, court officials said.
Oswalt and Joshua Combs, 22, were arrested in possession of about $200 worth of stolen plastic chairs, Raymond police Chief Jason Crotwell said. Witnesses called police when they saw the men taking the chairs from Bill’s Dollar Store.
Oswalt did not dispute the charges but complained the media had misrepresented the plea he made in Raymond Municipal Court on Wednesday.
“They got me pleading guilty and I didn’t. I didn’t plead guilty,” he said Thursday before hanging up the telephone.
Lisa Raney, the city of Raymond’s court clerk, said Oswalt pleaded no contest, which means that a defendant is not admitting guilt but is offering no defense. Combs pleaded not guilty to similar charges and is set for trial in June.