E Sage Road / S 120th Road, Rural Barneston

DATE & TIME: 08-06-2017 / 1710

LOCATION: East Sage Road / South 120^th Road, rural Barneston                  

OFFENSE:            Theft (felony)

                           Theft by Receiving Stolen Property (felony)

                           Possession of Burglary Tools (felony)

                           Criminal Mischief

                           Possession of Marijuana

                           Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

CASE #: 2017-4271   

On Sunday, August 6, 2017, deputies from the Gage County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a theft call near South 120^th Road and East Sage Road.  A business owner had witnessed a person remove an item from his property and drive off.  The business owner followed the suspect, 45 -year-old Shawn David Huntington, and confronted him in a farm field northeast of Barneston. 

There have been several reported and unreported burglaries in Barneston and the surrounding area.  Several victims showed up at the scene during the confrontation of the suspect by the business owner, and they noticed several items that had been reported stolen in and around a small copse of trees near Huntington’s vehicle.

A deputy and an investigator from the Gage County Sheriff’s Office arrived and separated the group, placing the suspect in a patrol vehicle for his safety.  The investigator then sought and obtained permission from the landowner to search the property for stolen items.  The investigator also obtained permission from the suspect to search his vehicle.

The deputy and investigator discovered stolen items from 5 separate burglaries on the scene.  The total value of the stolen property is estimated to exceed $6,300.  A sergeant from the sheriff’s office also discovered a stolen Polaris ATV in some trees a short distance away from where Huntington’s vehicle was parked.

Based on the initial investigation, Shawn David Huntington was arrested for Theft, Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, Possession of Burglary Tools, Criminal Mischief, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was transported to the Gage County Detention Center, turned over to corrections officers, and booked on those charges.

Deputies and investigators recovered three trailer loads of stolen items and transported those items to the Gage County Sheriff’s Office Impound Lot.  The items will be identified, recorded, catalogued, and stored.  If an item is identified as belonging to a victim, investigators will call that person and make arrangements for them to identify the stolen item.  One victim came to the Gage County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, 08-07-2017, and identified some of the stolen items as belonging to him and that was corroborated by the deputy who took the initial report.

The investigation is ongoing, with additional suspects being identified, evidence being collected, and coordination with Gage County Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies underway.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Deputy R. Sandersfeld #9032

Investigator M. Ernst #90315

Sergeant J. Patsch #9033