Accused burglar arrested, charged in firearms theft

A $20,000 cash-only bond was set March 21 for Dustin Lee, 34, after the Vanzant-area man was charged with one count of burglary and 12 counts of stealing a firearm.
The 13 charges, all class D felonies, typically carry a prison sentence of up to four years, but because Lee has been charged as a persistent offender, the charges can carry prison sentences of up to seven years each. The charging document says Lee was convicted of passing bad checks on Dec. 6, 2005, in Douglas County, two counts of burglary on Aug. 3, 2011, in Ozark County and forgery on Oct. 6, 2011, in Wright County. If convicted of all charges and ordered to serve the sentences consecutively, Lee could face up to 91 years in prison. However, it is also possible that the sentences could run concurrently.

The allegations
The most recent charges stem from an incident on March 4 when Ozark County Deputies Tiffany Fox and Kyle Hannaford were dispatched to a residence at 192 Carson Lane at 6:16 p.m. after a burglary was reported to the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department, according to the probable cause statement in the case. The deputies spoke with home-owners Beryl and Carol Murdy, who told the officers they had left for church around 9:05 a.m., and when they returned home they noticed that several items were missing from the house, including numerous guns, a chainsaw and a laptop computer.
After noticing that the items were missing, the Murdys checked their home security camera footage and saw a black two-door Jeep arrive at the residence at 9:10 a.m., five minutes after the couple had left for church. Two men were seen entering the home and then returning to the Jeep carrying several items, the statement says. The Murdys told the officer that only one person had been to their residence in the last year: Lee, a former employee. The officers took several items as evidence to undergo fingerprint analysis.
The next day, on March 5, Fox received a tip that a black Jeep driven by Lee was in the Mountain Grove area. Fox spoke with a Wright County deputy about Lee, and shortly afterward the Wright County deputy called to tell her he had taken Lee into custody. Fox met the Wright County deputy and Lee shortly afterward and searched the vehicle, the statement says. A Taurus 357 magnum, reported missing by the Murdys the previous day, was reportedly found in the Jeep’s glove box. Fox asked the man where the other guns were located, and he said he would not tell her, the statement says. A silver pocket watch matching the description of one stolen from the Murdys’ home, was also found on Lee.
Teresa Schulz, who was riding as a passenger in the Jeep when the Wright County officer stopped Lee, said the vehicle belonged to her but Lee frequently borrowed it. Schulz told the officer that Lee had borrowed the vehicle Saturday, March 3, and returned in the Jeep around noon on March 4.
Schulz also told the officer that Lee often stayed in a storage shed on her parents’ property, but she said she had no knowledge that Lee had stolen any items. Schulz gave the officers permission to search her shed, where the officers found a Husqvarna chainsaw model 435, an Optima .50-caliber muzzleloader rifle, a Gamo pellet rifle and a Savage .243 rifle, along with drugs and drug-paraphernalia items, the statement says. The rifles and chainsaw all matched those reported as missing the previous day.
Additional weapons that Lee is charged with stealing include a Winchester 30-30 model 94 rifle, a .243 Rossi single shot rifle, a .270 Stevens model 200 rifle, a Stoeger 20-gauge over/under shotgun, a Marlin .22-caliber model 60 rifle, a Marlin .22 long model 60 rifle, Taurus .357 magnum pistol, Churchill semi-automatic shotgun, Marlin model 6085 rifle and a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle.
Lee reportedly told officers that he’d been using methamphetamine for several days. He had an outstanding warrant in Douglas County, and was transported to the Douglas County Jail. Lee is charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, failure to drive on the right half of the roadway and operating a vehicle that had not been registered in the Douglas County case. That warrant was issued by Associate Judge Elizabeth Bock March 8. Lee will likely have to clear up the Douglas County case before appearing in the Ozark County case.

Recording firearms information
Law enforcement officers encourage gun owners to keep an up-to-date record of all firearm information, as it aids in identifying stolen firearms during an investigation. The record also proves helpful for filing insurance claims and reacquisition of the firearms.
 Authorities say the recorded information, kept in a safe place, should include each weapons’ manufacturer, model, serial number, type, caliber, date acquired, cost, purchase location and sold/transfer location, in order to help aid in recovery of the property in the event of a firearm theft. A personal firearms record booklet can be found online at www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/personal-firearms-record-atf-p-33128/dow.... The guide is meant to be a personal record only and is not used by the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.