A dropped cell phone led police to a pair of suspected thieves.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Jason K. Barker, 46, of 229 N. Cherry St., Marysville and Brandon Michael Bowsher, 18, of 32 Spruce Drive, Marysville.
Barker and Bowsher are each charged with one count each of theft and receiving stolen property.
According to court documents, on Oct. 15, an employee at a local hardware store called police to say a man had left the store with a Husqvarna chainsaw. The caller said that after he left the store, the man got into a grey, two-door Honda Civic with dealer tags from a local used car dealership. The caller said the car was waiting for the man as he exited. Investigators determined the vehicle left the lot and drove east on W. Fifth Street away from the store.
As investigators were at the scene, they found a cell phone in the parking lot near where the vehicle was located. Police determined the cell phone belonged to Barker.
When officers arrived at Barker’s home, they found the vehicle parked in his driveway.
Bowsher told police he did not know what Barker was doing inside the store. He said According to court documents, Bowsher said that when Barker came out with the saw, he put it in the back seat and yelled, “Go, go, go.”
Bowsher said Barker “put his hand on the gear shifter to have Brandon leave the area.”
Police then interviewed Barker who admitted to going into the store with a blank piece of paper in an attempt to make employees believe that he was picking up the chainsaw.
He said that once he had the saw, he left the store without paying for it.
The saw, valued at $1,019.99, was recovered and returned to the store.
If convicted on all counts, each man could face as many as 24 months in prison.
Also indicted were:
– Kenneth Orace Mounts, 69, of 7959 Currier Road, Plain City.
Mounts is charged with one count of aggravated possession of drugs, stemming from a May 23 incident involving methamphetamines.
If convicted, Mounts could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Jeffrey D. Riffle, 39, of 133 ½ Ottawa St., Richwood. Riffle is charged with one count of aggravated possession of drugs, stemming from a March 9 incident involving methamphetamines. If convicted, Riffle could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Ceaira Marie Rowe, 32, whose court listed address is the Women’s Recovery Center in Xenia. Rowe is charged with one count each of tampering with evidence and possession of criminal tools, stemming from an Aug. 19 incident when she allegedly used a “contraption used to contain and store another person’s urine” so she could use it during a urine drug test.
If convicted, Rowe could face as many as six years in prison.
– James Michael Long, 49, of Columbus. Long is charged with one count each of tampering with evidence and possession of criminal tools stemming from a Sept. 30 incident. If convicted, Long could face as many as six years in prison.