An Iola man who chose to defend himself in a Brazos County district court criminal trial was convicted by the jury of illegally using his former employer’s credit card.
The trial judge then sentenced 26 year old Nicholas Bollin to the maximum sentence of two years in a state jail. Bollin was also fined a total of $20,000 dollars.
The district attorney’s office says Bollin was found guilty of using the card four times at one store for a total of $2,600 dollars. The purchases included more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition and other firearms accessories.
The D-A’s news release also noted that Bollin said that federal and state laws do not apply to him. And he was threatened with contempt of court for not standing when the jury entered the courtroom.
Bollin’s brother, Larry, is awaiting trial in the murder of a co-worker in April of 2021.
News release from the Brazos County district attorney’s office:
Nicholas Bollin, 26, was convicted of four counts of credit card abuse by a Brazos County jury on Monday.
On Tuesday, Judge Kyle Hawthorne sentenced Bollin to 24 months in State Jail and a $5000 fine on each count. The 24 month sentence on each count is the maximum allowable
sentence under Texas law for these charges.
In June of 2022, Bollin stole a credit card from his then employer, Rock-Crete Foam Insulators. He then used the card at numerous businesses in Brazos and Grimes Counties before his employer discovered the card was missing. During his spending spree, Bollin charged more than $2,600 in merchandise on his employers credit card.
The four charges presented to the jury on Monday related to specific charges at Academy where Bollin purchased more than 1200 rounds of ammunition of various types, AR-15 magazines, and other parts for various firearms on four different days.
Bollin refused court appointed counsel and chose to represent himself. He also believes that U.S. and State laws do not apply to him.
The defendant’s behavior during the trial prompted Judge Hawthorne to threaten him with contempt of court when the defendant repeatedly refused to show the jury proper respect by standing when they entered the courtroom.
Assistant district attorney Jennifer Hebert issued the following statement: “Individuals like the defendant value their perceived individual rights above the rights of others. No person has the right to steal from their employer and anyone doing so in Brazos County will be prosecuted and sentenced accordingly.”