Justin McCall, 28, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on March 6, by retired judge Paul A. Rasmussen from the First Circuit Judicial Circuit in the state of Florida, as reported in a Monday press release from State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden. McCall was convicted of multiple burglary charges in connection to a string of automobile thefts that occurred from late October 2022 to early January 2023.
During one of his burglaries, McCall stole a firearm from an unsecured vehicle and when rummaging through another vehicle, he accidentally shot himself in the leg. At the time of his arrest, McCall was already on probation for grand theft of a firearm and out on bond for two additional burglaries. The gunshot wound that he inflicted on himself ultimately led to his arrest.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found that McCall had stolen clothing from the vehicles and was wearing it. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and an investigation in collaboration with the Crestview Police Department revealed that McCall had been seen on several home video surveillance cameras breaking into vehicles in the area. One homeowner said that she had seen McCall wearing her white Sperry boots which had been in her home’s garage.
The state’s 10-20-Life statute requires lengthy and strict prison sentences for felonies committed with a gun and since McCall had shot himself in the leg, the judge decided that this statute applied to him. McCall has a long history of criminal activity, having had 13 felony guilty convictions since 2012, including six for burglary and four for grand theft.