A Hermiston man faces several charges including theft and burglary in connection with a case in Adams.
While investigating the scene, Reitz noticed signs of a fresh break in at the property’s shop. He found a trail of footprints leading from the shop to where the silver van had been parked, but had since left. Neighbors told Reitz that they had seen a man with an injured eye at the victim’s property on two separate occasions in the past couple of days.
Reitz reported the break in as well as the van and description of the female driver. Pendleton police officers later located the silver van at a residence in Pendleton and located a 17-year-old female that matched the description Reitz had given. She was in the company of Julio Cesar Guardado-Garcia, 29, of Hermiston.
When Reitz talked to Guardado-Garcia, he matched the witness descriptions given to him by neighbors of the burglary victim and his shoes matched the footprints found at the scene. According to the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO), Guardado-Garcia admitted to being on the victim’s property, but claimed he did not take anything. He said he went there with a second male suspect who told Guardado-Garcia that the property belonged to him. After further questioning, Guardado-Garcia admitted that he broke in to the shop, and claimed he put back everything he took because he felt guilty.
Reitz recognized the 17-year-old girl as the driver of the vehicle he saw at the scene, and she admitted that she was driving the van, according to the UCSO. The girl also admitted that she transported property from the victim’s residence, and gave consent to search her the residence. The officers located and recovered several items of the victim’s property including rifles, shotguns, ammunition, hunting gear, CDs and DVDs.
Reitz lodged Guardado-Garcia in the Umatilla County Jail on burglary, theft and criminal mischief charges. The case is under investigation regarding the other persons involved and additional charges are anticipated.
