The Clark County District Attorney's Office is asking for the public's help locating 25-year-old Randall Cooper. He's been on the run for 11 months after a judge bent over backward to give him one more chance at staying out of prison.
Cooper pleaded guilty to battery with substantial bodily harm after making a chaotic getaway from a Kmart in North Las Vegas after a failed shoplifting attempt with a female accomplice. The loss prevention officer at Kmart says that Cooper nearly ran over him and a coworker.
District Attorney Steve Wolfson says that Cooper made a big mistake by escalating a shoplifting case to a felony.
"It goes from a larceny to a robbery because when you use force to take property, it's a robbery," said Wolfson.
Cooper's second mistake was walking away from a drug treatment program and probation, even though the probation department recommended prison for 18 prior misdemeanor convictions.
"He had a chance at probation. He had a chance to get some help. And he walked away," said Wolfson. "So now when he gets picked up... He's looking at a significant prison sentence."
