by Kate Shunney
A Great Cacapon man has been charged with burglary and grand larceny in connection with break-ins of a residence on Central Avenue in Great Cacapon last week.
His girlfriend has also been charged with obstructing an officer and possessing a firearm despite being prohibited from doing so due to drug use.
Charles J. Barker, 34, of Bullfrog Lane is incarcerated at the Eastern Regional Jail in lieu of a $15,000 bond for allegedly breaking into a Great Cacapon building and stealing more than $4,000 worth of tools.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Morgan County Magistrate Court, Lt. Seth Place of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department was called to the Central Avenue residence in response to a burglary report on Friday, October 25. Lt. Place alleges that the victim’s security video showed a man he recognized as Barker from previous encounters.
During his investigation, Lt. Place determined that another deputy had been called to the same area for a report of a male subject who appeared to be passed out in a vehicle.
On Saturday, October 26, Lt. Place was called back to the residence. The victim claimed the suspect had returned and stolen tools, including a generator, masonry saw, weed eater, hammer drill and bits and several other power tools.
When multiple officers served a court search warrant at Barker’s Bullfrog Lane residence, Amy J. Breeden, 29, was on the property.
According to Lt. Place, officers found “numerous items of drug paraphernalia” with visible residue located in plain sight at the residence, including glass smoking devices, straws with powder residue, plates/glass used to cut drugs. Officers also found a handgun, which Breeden allegedly claimed as hers, and a rifle.
Police allege that Breeden admitted to being a drug user and exhibited physical signs of drug use.
Breeden was charged with possessing a firearm despite being prohibited from doing so. State law prohibits habitual drug users from possessing a firearm. Lt. Place alleges that while Breeden was being placed under arrest, she refused to cooperate or walk outside, refused to put shoes on and tried to pull away from officers escorting her to a police vehicle.
Breeden is free on a $3,000 bond.
Officers recovered several thousands of dollars worth of property from the residence.
Child Protective Services assisted with the case due to a small child living with the couple, said Sheriff K.C. Bohrer.
