Six suspects arrested

Investigator B.J. Josey and Captain Shane Rathel show some of the stolen goods recovered.

In a report from the Miller County Sheriff's Office,on January 9, 2008, Miller County investigators received a report from the Decatur County Sheriff's Department in reference to irrigation span wire thefts. The thefts occurred close to the Miller/ Decatur county lines.

On January 22, 2008, Captain Shane Rathel and Investigator B.J. Josey responded to Babcock Road in reference to theft of irrigation span wire.

Officers Rathel and Josey made contact with Greg Calhoun in reference to the thefts. Mr. Calhoun advised that he had two irrigation systems that had been hit by the thieves. While investigating the two irrigation systems, Mr. Mark Merritt came by the scene and reported that someone had stolen three pit bulldogs from his residence. While Capt. Rathel and Inv. Josey were collecting evidence from these three crime scenes, other farmers in the area began checking their irrigation systems. As Mr. Calhoun's employees checked their remaining systems, two more irrigation systems were found to have been stripped of the span wire.

Capt. Rathel and Inv. Josey collected all evidence from the different crime scenes.

At approximately 2:00 p.m., Capt. Rathel received a call from John E. Wells in reference to a system belonging to Mr. Vic Fleet that had also been stripped of span cable wire. Inv. Josey also responded to the intersection of Whites Bridge Road and Avenue Road. Capt. Rathel and Inv. Josey collected evidence from the scene.

Capt. Rathel and Inv. Josey discovered all evidence from all crime scenes matched.

On January 23, Capt. Rathel received information from Chief Inv. Ben Nix and Colquitt Police Chief Scott Worsley of a possible suspect into the thefts.

Capt. Rathel and Inv. Josey advised Decatur County officers,Lt. Chip Nix and Inv. Patrick Trollinger of the findings in the theft cases.

The information given led Capt. Rathel and Inv. Josey to a residence on Old Airport Road in Miller County. When officersarrived and attempted to make contact with the home owner, they viewed in plain sight items used to commit the thefts and several other items of evidence.

Capt. Rathel knocked on the rear door of the residence and made contact with Kenya Simms. Ms. Sims was asked if Ms. Tameka Roseborough was home, and she advised yes.

Capt. Rathel asked for Ms. Roseborough to step outside at which time Rathel advised her of his findings. A search was conducted of the residence and the area, and all evidence was photographed and collected.

Three suspects were taken to the Miller County Sheriff's Officefor questioning. The subjects were read their rights and were questioned.

One of the suspects admitted to the thefts and revealed the location of the stolen pit bulls. The suspect advised that two of the dogs were tied in the woods behind a residence in Baker County, and the other dog was located at another suspect's residence in Decatur County.

Sheriff H.E. "Buddy" Glass and Investigator Josey proceeded to the location in Baker County to attempt to retrieve the stolen dogs. The Decatur County sheriff's officewas also notified of the location where another suspect and the other dog was possibly located.

Sheriff Glass and Inv. Josey located the two dogs in Baker County. The dogs were tied to a tree behind a residence in the woods.

Investigator Josey and Investigator Trollinger responded and picked up the suspect, but the dog was not in her possession. The dog was believed to be held in an adjacent apartment. Decatur County left a deputy at the residence awaiting the return of the home owner.

The two pit bulldogs recovered were returned to the owner. Later in the evening, Decatur County S.O. advised that their deputy had possession of the other dog and was en route to the Miller County Sheriff's Officewith the dog. The owner of the dog was notified and came and took possession of the third pit bulldog.

On Jan. 24, Capt. Rathel and Inv. Nix interviewed the suspects again and learned of two other suspects. A fifth suspect was picked up by Capt. Rathel and Inv. Nix. A sixth suspect was picked up in Decatur County by Inv. Patrick Trolinger. All suspects were interviewed and gave statements. Five of the suspects admitted to the thefts in their statements. One of the suspects refused to give a statement.

Tameka Roseborough, Kenya Simms, Laciate Blocker, Christopher Cook, John Eafford, and William Canty Jr. were charged with multiple counts of felony theft by taking and criminal damage to property in the second degree.

A total of 51 cases ranging from felony theft by taking and criminal damage to property in second degree were issued against the six suspects by the Miller County Sheriff's Department.