Carson City deputies arrest burglary suspects trying to sell items they stole

Two men were arrested early Saturday morning for suspicion of felony burglary, misdemeanor petit larceny and attempting to obtain money under false pretenses, a Carson City sheriff's deputy reported.

Geoffrey Lyle Walker, 37, of Carson City and 30 year-old Tristen James Ledford were both placed into custody following the investigation of a burglary that had occurred Friday afternoon in the 200 block of E. Washington Street. The two were arrested at 2:12 a.m. inside a gaming establishment in the 1900 block of N. Carson Street.

Early on Saturday morning, a sheriff's deputy entered a North Carson Street gaming business attempting to locate a different person with an outstanding warrant when he observed two male subjects matching the descriptions of burglary suspects from video surveillance footage, the arrest report said.

Ledford had previous contact with law enforcement a week before. He was known to abuse drugs and carry a knife, the report said. The deputy informed Ledford he was under arrest and ordered him to stand up. Ledford, however, began to argue, yell and struggle as the officer placed his hands behind his back, the report states.

Another deputy had arrived to assist about that time. Ledford started pulling his hands away from the arresting deputy and he was taken to the ground for officer safety, the report said.

Ledford screamed and continued trying to pull his arms before finally being detained in handcuffs and brought back up to his feet. The subsequent weapons pat-down search recovered a knife in the front pocket of Ledford's pants. Deputies noted that during the struggle, Ledford tried multiple times to pull his arms in front of him.

Ledford threatened to sue the deputy and get him fired, the report said, calling the officer "a dirty cop."

The deputies investigating the Friday afternoon burglary arrived on scene, positively identifying Ledford and Walker as the suspects seen in the surveillance footage of the burglarized business, the report said.

The two men were also wearing the same clothing at their arrest as they had been wearing on the burglary surveillance footage, the report said.

Ledford was first transported to the hospital for medical clearance due to hernia pain he had complained of and minor bleeding on his ear and nose. He later was transported to the Carson City Jail for booking.

Walker agreed to speak with deputies after receiving his Miranda warning, admitting that he and Ledford were at the business. But Walker denied they had stolen anything, the report said.

Rather, he claimed to have been trying to sell cellular phones at the business. Walker was handcuffed and transported to the Carson City Jail for booking.

During the Friday afternoon burglary investigation, a store employee told deputies that three subjects — Ledford, Walker and an unidentified female — entered the business seeking to sell electronic items, the report said.

While the transaction was taking place, the two male subjects reportedly distracted the cashier while the female subject took items from shelves and placed them in a plastic bag.

All three subjects left the store without paying for the items, the witness said. She believed they were going to a related business to try and sell the stolen items, the report said.

The investigation at a related business determined that the same two male subjects — Ledford and Walker — entered that store and attempted to sell the items, still in their sealed packages and bearing sales tags from the burglarized business, the report said.

The store did not make a sales transaction because of the suspicious nature of the items, and the male subjects left the store.

Video surveillance footage from both businesses and witness identification confirmed the men were the same individuals who were part of the burglary, the report states. Their identities and descriptions matched the two subjects arrested early Saturday morning.

Bail for Walker: $26,474. Bail for Ledford: $26,881.

In other arrests:
— A 39 year-old homeless man was arrested Friday night at 8:16 p.m. in the 3200 block of Market Street and charged with two counts suspicion of felony burglary and one count of felony drug possession, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

Jacob Lynn Fearn was taken into custody following an investigation of fraudulent returns at a retail business, the arrest report said. A Sheriff's deputy responded to the store, from which the suspect had already left on foot. He was described as 6 feet, 5 inches tall and wearing all black clothing.

The deputy, though, was initially unable to locate the suspect, so the store loss prevention officers were interviewed about the incident.

Loss prevention reported that it had observed the suspect select multiple items, including packages of light bulbs and screwdrivers, on the sales floor and concealed them. He also appeared to be taking pictures of the items using a cell phone, the report said.

The suspect, later identified as Fearn, was observed passing all points of sale on his way out of the store. But loss prevention stated the suspect had returned a short time later with a receipt on his phone and the unpaid items he had left with earlier, the report states.

The items and the electronic receipt were taken to customer service, where Fearn returned the goods for cash value. Once he left the store, loss prevention contacted law enforcement, the report said.

Later Friday evening, the responding deputy returned to the store on report that Fearn was back again attempting to return additional items he had just taken from the retail floor.

Upon visually identifying Fearn from description, the deputy ordered him to stop and place his hands behind his back. He was then detained in handcuffs.

Fearn was observed to be wearing a Carson City Jail issued ID bracelet. He was Mirandized and consented to speak with law enforcement, the report said.

Fearn stated he had just returned a $43 item purchased earlier in the day. When asked about the items he first returned, Fearn stated he was returning those for an unknown person he met at the bus stop and who was not allowed to make returns at the store, the report said.

Fearn's story, however, conflicted with video surveillance of him cutting off security pegs on products and concealing them in his jacket. The footage also showed Fearn picking up random sales receipts off the ground, the report states.

Surveillance video showed no instance of Fearn entering the store with items in his hands.

During a pat-down search of Fearn, additional store sales receipts were recovered in amounts ranging from $5.36 and $56.99, the report said.

A clear glass pipe containing visible burnt residue was also recovered during the search. The residue tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

A wants and warrants records check through Carson City Dispatch confirmed an outstanding misdemeanor contempt of court warrant issued by the Carson City Justice Court. Records also showed Fearn to be an ex-felon who had failed to register in Carson City.

Fearn was placed in custody and transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $31,879.

— A 30 year-old transient man was arrested late Friday night at 11:54 p.m. in the area of N. Carson and E. Ann streets for suspicion of felony drug possession and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

Robert John Hunt-Taylor was taken into custody after a pedestrian stop was made on him. He consented to a weapons pat-down search, the report said, advising deputies that he had a pipe in one pocket.

Two methamphetamine pipes and hypodermic needles were recovered from the search. Hunt-Taylor was subsequently placed in handcuffs and arrested.

One of the pipes was found broken inside of a case. A substance found in the pipe tested presumptive positive for meth, the report said.

Hunt-Taylor was transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $3,637.

— A 21 year-old Carson City man was arrested early Saturday morning at 12:53 a.m. in the area of Telegraph and Fall streets for misdemeanor first-offense driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving and hit-and-run, a Carson City sheriff's deputy reported.

According to the arrest report, a deputy responded to a motor vehicle crash report in downtown Carson City. While en route to the scene, the deputy was informed by dispatch that the suspect driver involved in the crash was seen running toward Telegraph Steet.

The responding deputy observed a male subject matching the description provided by dispatch. He was stopped, identified and questioned by law enforcement.

During the law enforcement query, the suspect was observed to exhibit slurred speech and he smelled of alcohol, the report said.

The suspect told the deputy that his rear axle broke while attempting to make a right turn, causing the crash. The suspect said he thought he had hit a tree and a bike stand, but he wasn't sure, the report states.

Registration on the crashed vehicle returned showing the suspect as registered owner. When asked about drinking, the suspect admitted to having consumed four beers, the report said.

He consented to standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs), which showed signs and clues of alcohol impairment. A preliminary breath test (PBT) was also consented to, yielding breath-alcohol content (BAC) of .253 percent, the report said.

The suspect was handcuffed and transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $2,186.

— A 20 year-old Mound House man was arrested Saturday morning at 1:18 a.m. in the area of William and Roop streets for an outstanding misdemeanor contempt of court warrant issued by the Carson City Justice Court, a Carson City Sheriff's deputy reported.

According to the arrest report, a traffic stop was made on a black Subaru sedan without license plates. Contact was made with the driver, who was identified by driver's license and who presented a temporary tag for the vehicle.

However, a wants and warrants records check through Carson City Dispatch showed the driver had an active arrest warrant for failure to appear in court.

He was handcuffed and transported to the Carson City Jail for booking. Bail: $155.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.