by Sheriff Jeremy Shipley
On Saturday, August 25th, Deputies Leatherman, Fogle, and Pickens responded to a location between Fairfield and Teague for a reported burglary in progress. During the on-scene investigation, a female subject located on site was found to be allowed to be at the residence. The female subject was the victim in a family violence assault case and had returned to collect her belongings after her husband had been arrested on the family violence charges.
Here’s where it gets more interesting….
The female subject was found to be in possession of vehicle that had been reported stolen by a neighbor on the night our county had several vehicles stolen that is still currently being investigated. When questioned on why she was driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen, the female subject stated that she was the owner of the vehicle and it wasn’t stolen. Scratching their head a bit, Deputies re-interviewed the neighbor who had reported the vehicle as stolen to the FCSO.
The neighbor provided the title and a hand-written bill of sale, however, the Deputies, being observant, noticed different signatures were found on the documents that were provided. Sgt. Martin and Sgt. Weinmann were contacted to further assist in the investigation.
After an indepth investigation, it was determined that the female subject’s husband had created a fraudulent bill of sale and had the neighbor sign the title, falsely showing that the neighbor had purchased the said stolen vehicle. The plan also included the neighbor reporting the vehicle as stolen for the purpose of taking the vehicle away from the wife and attempting to have her appear she had in fact stolen the vehicle for which she would then be arrested and charged. Essentially being victimized again after already being a victim of an assault.
Oh…but not so fast…
My how the tables can turn quickly.
Due to our Deputies observations and great follow up investigation, the actual criminals have now been arrested and not the person that was being set up for a crime that had actually never been committed. Sgt. Martin and Sgt. Weinmann obtained arrest warrants for the husband who, as previously stated, was already in jail for Assault/Family Violence and the female neighbor accomplice.
Both subjects have been charged with False Alarm or Report to authorities, and the husband has also been charged with Forgery – To Defraud or Harm Another (both Misdemeanor A offenses).
Kudos to Deputies Leatherman, Fogle, Pickens, and Sgt. Martin and Sgt. Weinmann. Great teamwork within our agency to see that the proper and necessary justice was carried out on the rightful individuals.
Word of advice, don’t create false reports to our agency. When you victimize everyone of our citizens in this county because you have drawn our attention away from real issues due to your false narratives, you will find yourself inside the old concrete walls of the Freestone County Jail wearing a not so fashionable jumper, eating from a plastic trey with a plastic spork, and being roommates and using the restroom in front of people you don’t know.
As I always tell our elementary school students…“Make good choices.”
