By Bonnie Culverhouse
A local man has been charged with stealing his friend’s firearm.
Ryan Bernard Jones, 28, of the 500 block of Joel St., was arrested by Minden Police after a friend reported her firearm stolen.
Chief Steve Cropper said the woman reported Jones was the only person with her when the Rugar LCP II .380 was stolen.
“A witness saw Jones with a firearm matching the stolen one,” Cropper said. “When the victim confronted Jones about stealing the gun, he denied it. He said he returned a jersey he had borrowed but denied knowledge of the gun.”
Lt. Chris Hammontree made contact with Jones as he was leaving the backyard of the residence.
“His mother came outside and consented to a search of the backyard,” Cropper said. “While back there, officers found an old truck with a strong odor of Marijuana nearby.”
Lt. Hammontree reportedly looked through a broken window and observed a shoe box with a large number of baggies inside. After consent to search was signed and a K9 alert on the vehicle, the officer searched it and reportedly located two large baggies of natural Marijuana totaling 78 grams, two different groups of packaging materials and a Ruger holster identical to the one stolen from the victim.
“Lt. Hammontree contacted Lt. Keith King to assist with the investigation, and a search warrant was obtained for the residence,” Cropper said. “During that search, officers found a pair of shoes matching the shoe box in the truck, 33 grams of natural Marijuana in several different packages and 67.5 grams of synthetic Marijuana, along with more packaging materials.”
Officers also reportedly located .4 grams of a white powder substance that has yet to be identified.
