Two Johnson Chapel community men are facing charges of aggravated burglary and theft of property over $1,000 after a sheriff’s department investigation into a recent home burglary on Johnson Chapel Road.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, William Richard Denton, 21, and 20-year-old Travis Marcus Melton were arrested last week and accused of breaking into a Johnson Chapel Road home on July 29.
The sheriff said the men entered through a back window, taking gold chains, a gold bracelet, rings and several handguns and ammunition, with a total value of more than $1,000.
While Melton allegedly committed the actual burglary, Denton is said to have somehow obtained the combination to a safe where the guns were stored, passing it on to Melton.
Ray said Denton also sold the items stolen from the home.
Denton was taken into custody on Aug. 7, and Melton was arrested the next day.
The case was investigated by one of the department’s criminal detectives.
Bond was set at $10,000 each, and both men will be in court on Aug. 23.
Michael Brandon Redmon, 27, was charged with public intoxication on Aug. 4.
A deputy dispatched to a location on Highway 56 North to check out reports that a person who was involved in a burglary earlier that evening reportedly found Redmon walking in the road.
Ray said Redmon was very unsteady on his feet, and his speech was slurred.
Redmon was placed under arrest in the interest of his safety and for the safety of the public.
His bond is $1,000, and he will be in court on Sept.13.
Paul Allen Willingham, 33, was charged with introduction of drugs into a penal institution on Aug. 10.
Ray said that when Willingham reported to serve a weekend sentence, a search revealed three cellophane wrappers with pieces of Xanax and 12 whole Xanax pills in his underwear.
His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court Aug. 23.
Rogelio Rivera Palomo, 39, was charged with driving under the influence on Aug 11.
He was also cited for violation of the open container law, failure to exercise due care, violation of the implied consent law, violation of the financial responsibility law and failure to maintain his lane of travel.
Ray said that Palomo was involved in a one-car accident where deputies noticed an odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person, and that he was unsteady on his feet.
The deputy allegedly found several empty beer bottles, as well as one full bottle, in Palomo’s vehicle.
He reportedly performed poorly on all field sobriety tasks and refused to submit to a blood test.
Palomo was arrested for DUI.
His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on Aug. 23.