Published: September 04, 2008 10:56 pm         

Police say couple went on crime spree to get drugs

A man and woman each faces 14 criminal charges after Raleigh County sheriff’s deputies say the two — “desperate” for drugs — stole two vehicles and practically anything else in sight, including a bingo tote and jumper cables.

Jonathan Daniel Bolon, 21, who has addresses on Fisher Road in Fairdale, Beckley and Fayette County, and Jessica Maxey, 23, whose previous addresses include Fisher Road in Fairdale, Oak Hill and Crab Orchard, were charged with two counts of felony possession of stolen property, two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, five counts of misdemeanor receiving stolen property and five counts of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, Sgt. J.B. Miller said.

Bolon and Maxey were arrested Wednesday, Miller said. They were being held at Southern Regional Jail. Bond for each was set at $100,000.

Miller said the two were “desperate” for drugs Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning; neither could remember exactly when. Both admitted to police they use prescription pain medications, but they said they did not consider that drug use.

“This all revolves around one thing: ‘What can I steal for drugs?’” Miller said. “Anything they could steal ...”

After fighting because they ran out of pills, the two left the last place they were known to reside on Fisher Road, searching for items they could trade for drugs, Miller said. In the process, they found a Suzuki SUV on Brunty Hollow with the keys inside. Bolon and Miller took off in the vehicle, stopping at other residences and grabbing more items.

Miller said the items stolen came from unlocked vehicles or along driveways. They ranged from the small to the outright unorthodox. He said Bolon and Miller took change from ashtrays, old currency someone had in a vehicle, a woman’s bingo tote, jumper cables, a battery-powered air compressor, medications, CDs and pocket knives.

“Some of it made no sense, whatsoever,” Miller said.

The two later found a 2006 Chevy Cobalt in the Glen Daniel/Fairdale area, Miller said. They took off in both vehicles, but the Suzuki eventually ran out of gas. In Sandlick, they moved all of the stolen items into the Cobalt and ditched the Suzuki.

The Suzuki was reported stolen at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, and Cpl. W.J. Crist found it, Miller said. Crist found a wallet with the Cobalt owner’s ID inside. Meanwhile, deputies also received a report of a possibly intoxicated driver driving a Chevy Cobalt and en route to Fairdale. The caller apparently knew the suspects because the person named both Bolon and Maxey.

Miller said he knew where the suspects lived, and he arrived at their residence at 8:40 a.m. Bolon and Maxey were found sleeping inside the Cobalt, and the stolen items were inside the car. Deputies also found empty pill bottles, but their origin was unknown. The labels had been ripped off.

Both were arrested without incident, Miller said. Each suspect has admitted to some of the charges and denied others while trying to lay blame on the other.

The investigation is ongoing, Miller said. He noted reported victims were basically within a 5-mile radius of where the suspects were staying. Some of the property had yet to be claimed, and other missing and unaccounted items may wind up tied to the spree — like a neighbor’s missing mattock.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to end,” Miller said.

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Miller noted both suspects were free on bond when arrested. According to records at Raleigh County Magistrate Court, Bolon and Maxey were arrested Aug. 15 by Beckley police. Bolon was charged with first-offense shoplifting and possession of hydrocodone, and Maxey with felony third-offense shoplifting.

Miller said he wished some suspects, especially those charged with drug crimes, had a harder time making bond.

“They have their rights, but what about the people who were in their beds that night?” he said.

Miller said the prosecutor’s office may try to revoke both suspects’ earlier bonds.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com