A 57-year-old Douglas man who was on probation as a result of a guilty plea stemming from an April 2022 home invasion that resulted in an aggravated assault charge is back in jail after he allegedly stole a payment from the City Hall night drop box.
An incident report from the Douglas Police Department states that on June 17, 2025, Michael Sheldon Clark, 57, of Douglas, allegedly took a customer’s utility payment from the night drop box at City Hall while he was making his own payment. A city employee didn’t find out about the alleged theft until June 23, 2025, which is when it was reported to the police department.
The report states that a customer made a cash payment of $276 on June 17. However, that customer’s account showed up as a non-payment. He was charged a late fee and could have possibly had his utilities cut off. The customer contacted the city and said that a payment had in fact been made at the drop box.
City personnel reviewed cameras at the drop box and saw the following. At around 6:45 p.m. on June 17, an individual, identified as Clark, rode up on a bicycle. According to the report, he opened the drop box to make his own payment. However, there were several payment envelopes stuck in the drop box due to an obstruction in the chute. (The obstruction has since been fixed.) The video shows Clark allegedly pulling out multiple payment envelopes and looking at them. Then he placed an envelope in his pocket (one that contained cash instead of a check), according to the report. Clark made his own payment then left. City records show that Clark’s payment was found in the drop box. As Clark left City Hall, the report says that he looked “directly at the camera.”
Officers took warrants for theft by taking and criminal trespass against Clark. He was arrested and booked into the Coffee County Jail on July 11, 2025, and released on bond.
However, Clark’s arrest was a violation of his probation stemming from a 2022 home invasion in which he entered his ex-wife’s home with a shotgun. His ex-wife and her boyfriend were inside the home at the time. An altercation ensued and Clark was arrested on several charges, including aggravated assault. In September of 2022, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was given a 10-year sentence – 12 months in confinement (with credit for time served) with the remainder to be served on probation.
On July 19, 2025 at about 10:30 p.m., a Douglas police officer stopped Clark, who was riding a bicycle on the sidewalk with no front light, at the intersection of South Gaskin Avenue and East Baker Highway, according to another incident report. Clark had a warrant for his arrest. He was taken into custody, served with a probation violation warrant, and booked into the Coffee County Jail. He remains incarcerated.
Had Clark complied with the terms of his probation, it could have been terminated after five years. Now it is entirely possible that he will serve the rest of his probation in prison.