Two men have been charged in a recent burglary and theft investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 24 year old Jonathon David Thomas of Nashville Highway, Liberty was charged on Thursday, September 17th with aggravated burglary and theft of property after an investigation into a break in on Tramel Branch Road. Another person, 34 year old James Steven Leduc of Gin Alley, Alexandria, who had previously been charged with theft of property, has now been charged with aggravated burglary. The two men went to a home on Tramel Branch Road, kicked in the back door and took several items including a black stove and ceiling fans from the home. The stove and fans were then sold to a business in Alexandria. The items have since been recovered. Bond for Thomas was set at $35,000 and Leduc’s bond was set at $25,000 on the new charge. Both will appear in court on October 1st.
Meanwhile in other cases, on Monday, September 14th, deputies responded to a call on Highway 56 South where a “be on the look out” was issued for a wanted man, 48 year old David Petty of Houston Hollow Road, Alexandria. The described vehicle was stopped but the man in the automobile, Petty, tried to pass himself off as someone else. When Petty was asked for his name, he said it was Michael Petty and he gave the officer a fake date of birth and social security number. Petty, who was identified by prior bookings into the DeKalb County Jail, was charged with criminal impersonation. His bond was set at $2,500 and he will appear in court on October 1st.
On Tuesday, September 15th, deputies spotted a possible drunk driver on Highway 56 North. The vehicle could be seen weaving in the roadway. After the traffic stop, officers found 44 year old Richard Arthur Schilt of Allen Chapel Road Smithville to be under the influence. Schilt had an odor of alcohol on his person, slurred speech and he was unsteady on his feet. Schilt submitted to field sobriety tasks which he failed. Schilt was charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. He was also issued a citation for violation of the implied consent law. Schilt will appear in court on October 1st. Schilt’s vehicle, a 1998 Chrysler car was also seized. Meanwhile, a passenger in the vehicle, 40 year old Elsie Mae Judkins of Allen Chapel Road Smithville was also arrested. After a search of her person, deputies found a hypodermic needle hidden in her sock. Judkins was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and her bond was set at $1,000. She will appear in court on October 1st.
Judkins was also charged Tuesday after she tried to throw a pill under a deputy’s patrol car after the officer made a traffic stop of her vehicle in the Big Rock Road /Vaughn Lane area. The deputy saw Judkins throw something under his car while he was talking to a passenger of vehicle and discovered that it was a perecot pill. Also found on Judkins were two hypodermic needles and a dilaudid pill. Judkins was charged with simple possession of a schedule II dug dilaudid, simple possession of a schedule II pill (perecot), and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $6,000 and she will appear in court on October 1st.
On Saturday, September 19th, deputies worked a one-car accident on Vaughn Lane in Smithville and arrested 44 year old David Lopez Reyes of Vinewood Road, McMinnville for a first offense of driving under the influence. Officers noticed Reyes to be under the influence. He had slurred speech, was unsteady on his feet, and he had an odor of alcohol on his person. Reyes submitted to field sobriety tasks which he failed. Reyes was also issued citations for no driver’s license and violation of the implied consent law. His bond was set at $1,500.
On Sunday, September 20th, deputies arrested 33 year old Jeremy Nelson Moulder of Old Smithville Highway, McMinnville for driving on a suspended license. Moulder was stopped for a traffic offense and he told the officers that he did not have a driver’s license. Upon running a computer check, the deputy learned that Moulder’s license was suspended for a failure to file insurance after an accident. Moulder’s bond was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on October 1st.