Police track alleged burglar through snow
Local Crime News
EPHRATA - Two men are facing charges stemming from three burglaries in Moses Lake.
Prosecutors charged Jeffrey L. Hughes, 36, transient, with burglary in the first degree, residential burglary, burglary in the second degree, three counts of theft of a firearm, trafficking in stolen property in the first degree and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, according to Grant County Superior Court records.
John E. Anderson, 45, Moses Lake, was charged with trafficking in stolen property in the first degree, six counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine, according to court records.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to court records.
Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz set bail at $75,000 for Hughes and $60,000 for Anderson.
Two Marina Drive homes were burglarized in two days in the middle of January, according to a Moses Lake police report. Hughes allegedly broke a door window in one home, stealing a shotgun, a rifle and a pistol along with jewelry. He reportedly broke an office window in another home, taking jewelry. Police found footprints outside of the second residence.
Officers were patrolling the area when they spotted Hughes walking through a manufactured home park on West Broadway near Marina Drive, according to the police report. When officers stopped him, he allegedly said he was staying at a motel, and was walking to a convenience store.
As Hughes was walking away, an officer noticed the footprints matched the ones found near the second burglary, according to the police report. The officer followed the tracks back to the motel, and then to the site of another burglary where Hughes allegedly forced open a door on a shop.
When police questioned Hughes about the burglaries, he reportedly admitted to them, according to the police. Officers allegedly found jewelry and airline tickets taken in the burglaries in Hughes' motel room. Hughes reportedly told police another person sold the guns to Anderson.
When police questioned Anderson, he allegedly said Hughes sold him the guns for a bag of methamphetamine, according to the police report. Police reportedly found two of the guns taken in the robbery, along with four other guns and methamphetamine.
The men each have five previous felony convictions and weren't allowed to possess guns, according to the police report.
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