By Tracie Sullivan, for Iron County Today
Just weeks after his release to a sober living home, a Cedar City man convicted of aggravated burglary is back behind bars after he disappeared from the facility ahead of his sentencing.
Cory Scott Kaiser, 18, was granted release on Aug. 1 after reaching a plea agreement with the Iron County Attorney’s Office, marking his first time out of jail since his initial arrest in May.
His release required him to remain at the facility, but he disappeared about three weeks later, prompting authorities to issue a warrant.
Kaiser was initially arrested on May 9 after a series of break-ins across Cedar City.
According to court documents filed in 5th District Court in support of the charges, he first entered a home on Windsor Road through a bathroom window, where he took a kitchen knife and tried to pry open interior doors. The homeowners heard the noise and scared him off.
Later that day, he broke into a gas station by throwing a rock through the window but fled when the alarm sounded. Soon after, Kaiser attempted to break into a pawn shop, damaging a door and shattering windows.
Officers found him inside the pawn shop with a firearm in hand. Kaiser later confessed to all three break-ins, saying he was searching for valuables and firearms.
As part of the plea agreement, Kaiser was released to a sober living facility while awaiting sentencing, originally set for Sept. 16. It was later rescheduled to Sept. 30 to give Adult Probation and Parole (AP&P) more time to complete a pre-sentence investigation.
The day after the sentencing was rescheduled, a warrant was issued for Kaiser after he left the facility without permission, violating his release conditions.
Kaiser was rearrested just a few days later on Sept. 3 and is currently being held in the Iron County Jail.
Kaiser initially faced multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated burglary, burglary, a third-degree felony and destruction of property, a third-degree felony. As part of the plea agreement, all charges were dismissed except for the two counts of aggravated burglary.
While his violation of release is not expected to affect the plea agreement, it will likely impact his pre-sentence report and the court’s final sentencing scheduled later this month.
“I’m sure it will make a difference in his sentence,” said Iron County Deputy Attorney Trajan Evans. “We won’t add charges or alter the plea agreement, but his leaving the home will be included in the pre-sentence report, which the court considers when determining what sentence to give.”