Dane man accused of theft

June 5, 2018

A Dane man faces three counts of burglary, along with other counts of misdemeanor theft, felony bail jumping and obstructing an officer after being accused of entering a home on West Second Street and stealing.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court, Waunakee Police were dispatched to the home on March 28 when a caller reported a watch valued at $775 was stolen, along with a large amount of loose change and dollar bills.

The caller indicated he knew the identity of the person responsible, according to the complaint, which notes that Waunakee Police had have previous contacts with the alleged perpetrator, Justin Frank Schwenn, age 21, who the complaint states has a criminal record for numerous thefts in the past and is a known heroin addict.

Police had located the watch which was pawned by Schwenn at Pawn America through LeadsOnline record, the criminal complaint states.

When police followed up with the Waunakee resident on March 29, they were told a Craftsman trimmer and tiller attachment valued at $280 in all were also missing. A search on LeadsOnline also revealed those missing items had been pawned by Schwenn, the complaint states.

Police then contacted Schwenn, who verbally identified himself. Schwenn told police that there would be list of other items stolen, and a review of those records revealed 16 items pawned to Pawn America from Feb. 10 through March 26, according to the complaint.

Officers were able to confirm that Schwenn had pawned the watch, ladder and weed trimmer, along with the Craftsman cordless drill and saw belonging to the complainant, but Schwenn told police he had taken those items from a plastic tote in the backyard of the home, according to the complaint.

Schwenn allegedly told the officer that a friend, who was also a heroin addict, was staying with him and asked that two women stay the weekend as well, the complaint states. Schwenn allegedly told the officer one of the women offered him the watch for allowing her to stay the weekend.

The officer’s investigation revealed that the woman was incarcerated at the Dane County Jail, where the officer contacted her and learned she had been in jail at the time of the arrest, the complaint states, and she informed the investigator that the last time she stayed with Schwenn had been in January, according to the complaint. She told the investigator that Schwenn had also taken her property without consent “and returned the items for money to use toward his drug addiction,” the complaint states.

Police reviewed records showing that Schwenn was charged on March 13 with possession of narcotic drugs and the charge was pending.

Schwenn faces three counts of burglary, repeater, which carries a maximum fine of $25,000 or sentence of 12 years six months in jail. Because of a 2014 conviction of manufacture/deliver THC, the sentence could be extended two to four years.

Further counts include: misdemeanor theft, repeater; felony bail jumping, repeater; and obstructing an officer, repeater.

Source: http://www.hngnews.com/waunakee_tribune/news/business/article_abf0cb23-b695-5512-8a7b-93a8abc941fe.html