Warner Robins man sentenced to 15 years for theft, ID fraud, failure to register

WARNER ROBINS — A Warner Robins man was sentenced in Houston County court in early February for multiple crimes, according to the District Attorney’s office.

According to a press release, Joshua King, 38, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Feb. 9 after pleading guilty to entering an automobile, identity fraud and failure to register as a sex offender.

The charges stem from a case in late 2023. On Dec. 26, officers responded to 120 South Armed Forces Boulevard after the victim returned from work to find her car broken into and her purse, containing cash and credit cards, missing.

Shortly after the car break-in on Dec. 26, 2023, a suspect entered a nearby convenience store and attempted to use the stolen credit card. Investigators used surveillance footage, law enforcement databases, social media, and interviews with King’s acquaintances to identify him.

King, previously convicted of statutory rape in 2009, failed to register annually as a sex offender or report to his probation officer, prompting an investigation and arrest warrant.

King was arrested on Jan. 16, 2024, while attempting more acts of theft and identity fraud. He was later tried and convicted for these offenses in October 2025.

King was sentenced by Judge Katherine Lumsden and prosecuted by Senior District Attorney Mike Smith.

Smith and Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards provided comments.

Smith stated, “The Houston Circuit District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Warner Robins Police Department, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Community Supervision for their outstanding efforts in bringing this career criminal to justice. The Office would especially like to highlight the efforts of Investigator James Nix (WRPD), Sergeant Timothy Leonard (HCSO) and Officer Katherine Lanier (DCS). All members of our community should be safe from having their property and their identities stolen, and convicted sex offenders must comply with the terms and conditions of their sentences, or otherwise face the consequences. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting the community from career criminals.”

Edwards added, “This defendant’s conduct was not isolated or accidental—it was part of a clear pattern of criminal behavior that escalated over time. Breaking into vehicles, stealing identities, and ignoring sex offender registration requirements all undermine public safety in very real ways. The requirement that convicted sex offenders register is not a technicality—it exists so law enforcement and the public can monitor compliance and prevent further harm. When someone repeatedly ignores those obligations while committing new crimes, incarceration becomes necessary to protect the community.

“I appreciate the coordinated work of our law enforcement partners and the prosecution of this case by Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith. The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of this conduct and our commitment to holding career criminals accountable.”