FLASH STAFF REPORT
STEPHENVILLE (October 24, 2019) — Two Erath County residents were arrested when multiple agencies executed a search warrant related to a number of burglaries on Wednesday. Janelle Stephens, 41, and James Brown, 42, were booked on drug charges and have other charges pending against them related to the thefts.
The Erath County Sheriff’s Office and the Comanche County Sheriff’s Office worked with the Stephenville Police Department to bust a theft ring by executing a search warrant in the 2000 block of E. Washington Street in Stephenville.
The warrant, out of Erath County, was to recover stolen property that law enforcement officials believe were taken throughout Erath and Comanche Counties. Investigators recovered between $7,000 and $10,000 worth of stolen property while arresting the two suspects located in the house.
According to Erath County SO Lt. Ben Moore, the investigators discovered so much stolen property they cannot confirm how many cases were closed at this time.
“We’ve still got a lot of property here and investigating to do,” Moore said Thursday. “But I do believe there will be others arrested and charged with felonies related to this investigation.”
The two subjects were arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, over 1 gram but under 4 grams, and booked into the Erath County Jail. Stephens is out on bond, while Brown remains behind bars Thursday. Lt. Moore said felony charges stemming from the burglaries will come as the investigation continues.
Moore said the Erath County Sheriff’s Office was able to close 12 burglary cases and Comanche County SO was able to close 3 cases already. He said the investigators and the Stephenville PD investigators were still going through the recovered property and matching it up with cases pending.
“In addition to the two we have already arrested, we may have other people charged with felonies related to this investigation, but we don’t know that yet,” Moore concluded.
If you have been a victim of a burglary in Comanche or Erath County recently, contact the Erath County Sheriff’s Office at (254) 965-3318 to check if your property was recovered.
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