University Police (UP) arrested USF student Jeff Sheridan Monday morning for returning books he did not purchase at the USF Barnes and Nobles bookstore, according to a police report.
According to the report, Sheridan, an Oracle cartoonist, faces two felony charges: grand theft in the third degree and dealing in stolen property.
Sheridan was released at 3:20 p.m. from the Orient Road Jail, where he was held on a $9,500 bond – $2,000 for grant theft and $7,500 for the second charge.
On Aug. 10 at approximately 3:50 p.m., Sheridan walked into the bookstore and took five textbooks – valued at $763 – from the shelves, the report said.
Sheridan took the textbooks to the buyback cashier and sold them back to the bookstore for $137. Police records said that Sheridan had a signed receipt for selling the books.
Sheridan was caught on videotape and identified by a witness. Police reports said Sheridan made “no attempt to purchase the five textbooks prior to making a buy back transaction.”
Ross said if Sheridan is convicted, a restitution order may be given for reimbursement to the bookstore but that’s hard to determine at this point.
Sheridan was unavailable for comment.
– Kerry Klecic and Kelli Polson
