COEUR d'ALENE - A 35-year-old Coeur d'Alene man, with a significant criminal history in Kootenai County, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for grand theft and forgery.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh on Tuesday said Benjamin J. Roll was sentenced for three felony counts of grand theft and one count of forgery.

Four years of the sentence will be fixed, and the remaining six years will be indeterminate, according to the sentence handed down by District Court Judge Lansing Haynes.

"The long sentence imposed by Judge Haynes is justified by the numerous crimes committed by Mr. Roll, his previous involvement in criminal activity, and a need to protect the citizens of Kootenai County from Mr. Roll," McHugh said.

He added, "The continuing nature of Mr. Roll's activity justifies removing him from society for an extended period of time."

Roll was charged after investigations by the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, and the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls police departments, he said.

When Roll was stopped in May 2010, he was in possession of numerous stolen items. He was found to have used a stolen credit card to make purchases, resulting in the forgery charge, McHugh said.

In the past 12 years, Roll has four prior felony convictions and six misdemeanor convictions. The felony convictions include grand theft and possession of methamphetamine. Roll admitted that the stolen items were used or sold to purchase drugs, McHugh said.