'Career Criminal' Sentenced by Douglas County Judge

A Douglas County judge sentenced a so-called career criminal to 80 years behind bars for multiple convictions — from identity theft to entering automobiles — the District Attorney’s office said Monday.

William Raymond Bush, 41, was convicted by a jury earlier this month on eight counts of identity theft, five counts of entering autos and two counts of theft. The DA’s office said Bush is a 12-time convicted felon.

“Bush was convicted on November 3rd by a jury for breaking into numerous cars, stealing credit cards, and racking up significant purchases over a 4 month period of time,” the DA’s office said in a press release. “At trial it was learned that he was wanted out of multiple Metro Atlanta counties for the same crimes.”

Bush’s conviction came after a week and a half jury trial in front of Judge William H. McClain.

During sentencing, Assistant District Attorney Samantha Newman highlighted that Bush had more than 10 felony convictions for the same offenses of Identity Fraud, Entering Auto, and Identity Card Theft spanning nearly two decades since the mid 1990’s.

“The citizens of Douglas County should feel safe at local parks and gyms like Fowler Field and LA Fitness,” Douglas County DA Brian Fortner said in the news release. “The Defendant has repeatedly proven over the last 20 years that he thinks he is entitled to steal from others and disregard the law. The jury’s conviction sent the message loud and clear to the Defendant that we don’t tolerate career criminals in our community.”

(Photo: William Raymond Bush. Douglas County Jail mug shot)