Six bucks and a jar of peanut butter
A “transient” threesome have allegedly found trouble and criminal charges — all for six bucks and a jar of peanut butter.
Three persons were arrested Thursday, Feb. 1, after a Hickory Valley Road homeowner found them in the back of her house and chased them out of her home with a gun.
Amber A. Haley, 36, Christopher Shane Letner, 44, and Joseph Deloss Hardesty, 38, addresses listed as “Transient, Clinton,” face numerous charges after being chased out of the home belonging to Catherine Ann Kellogg and her husband, Prestin Kellogg, and were found walking on Hickory Valley Road toward Norris Freeway.
Deputy James Presson arrived at the Kellogg’s home shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday and was told by Catherine Kellogg she returned and had found the trio “in the rear” of the house.
According to the report the Kelloggs had just recently purchased the home.
She told Presson she “drew her gun on the suspects” and they left.
Presson said he saw Haley, Letner, and Hardesty walking on Hickory Valley Road, near Indian Gap Road, and detained them for questioning.
At first Hardesty identified himself as John Bettis, Presson’s report stated. He was later identified as Hardesty.
Both Haley and Bettis/Hardesty admitted to sleeping in the house ”because they were cold.”
Hardesty said the door to the house was unlocked, the report stated. Presson noted Haley became “evasive” when asked how they got into the house.
Haley did tell Presson, his report stated, the trio had been “checking” windows and doors of houses looking for a place to sleep.
Letner denied being in the house, saying he and his friends “slept in a field.”
After searching the trio Presson said he found a screwdriver in Bettis/Hardesty’s pants pocket, six dollars (a five and a one), and a checkbook belonging to another person — he said he found the checkbook on the road. While searching Letner, Presson said he found a set of “Ford car keys,” which Letner said he also found on the side of the road.
When he was detaining the three Catherine Kellogg arrived and identified the three as the people she had chased from her house. She said, in Presson’s report, that she “was so scared, she couldn’t stop shaking.”
When Presson looked at the residence he said noticed a rear glass door “consistent with being kicked/forced in.”
Prestin Kellogg said there was a box with several of his Makita power tools (two cordless drills, a cordless flash light, and a battery charger) sitting on the kitchen counter. Prestin Kellogg also said six dollars (a five and a one) were missing, as was a jar of peanut butter he bought for mouse traps.
Haley, Letner, and Bettis/Hardesty were charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated burglary, and theft of property $0-1,000 (six dollars and a jar of Food Club peanut butter).
Bettis/Hardesty was also charged with criminal impersonation and possession of burglary tools.