Texas Theft Law Enforces Federal Charges Agianst Three Men

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that three Weatherford, Texas, residents, Bryan Newsom, age 22, Brett Garrett, age 19, and James Hardin, age 18, have been arrested on federal charges outlined in a criminal complaint filed today in United States District Court in Fort Worth, Texas. The complaint charges each with a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 842(h) and 844(a)(1). All three defendants made their initial appearance this afternoon before the Honorable Charles Bleil, United States Magistrate Judge, and have been ordered detained pending a detention hearing set for Friday, January 27, 2006.

The affidavit filed with the complaint states that Fort Worth Crushed Stone, located at 4313 Bethel Road in Weatherford, Texas, notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, January 23, 2006, that explosives were missing. The investigation revealed that 28.5 pounds, or approximately 95 sticks of 1 1/8 inch by 8 inch Dyno Nobel AP Emulsion, 33.61 pounds or approximately eight sticks of 2 3/4 inch by 16 inch Dyno Nobel, Blastex Slurran Emulsion, one Dyno Nobel #1 40-foot electric blasting cap and 31 Dyno Nobel Noel non-electric blasting caps were missing from the explosives magazines. It was discovered that the explosives magazines had the locks cut from them with a cutting torch. Investigators also discovered approximately six 2 3/4 inch by 16-inch Dyno Nobel, Blastex Slurran Emulsion sticks dropped or discarded between the explosives magazines and the front entrance gate of the business.

The affidavit goes on to state that as the investigation ensued and Hardin, Newsom and Garrett were questioned, it was learned that James Hardin had been employed for three months by Fort Worth Crushed Stone but had been fired a few months prior to the thefts. It was also learned that Brett Garrett had worked for Fort Worth Crushed Stone as a dump truck operator but had quit his job approximately two months prior to the thefts.

Later in the investigation, Garrett confessed to the theft of the explosives from the Fort worth Crushed Stone plant in specific detail, stating that he and Hardin decided to steal the explosives on Sunday, January 22, 2006. Garrett further stated that he and Hardin called Bryan Newsom to ask for a cutting torch to break the locks and that Newsom said he could get one for them. Garrett and Hardin drove to Newsom’s home at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Sunday night and while they were there, they decided that Newsom would drive Garrett and Hardin to the plant. At approximately midnight, Newsom dropped Garrett and Hardin off at the front entrance to the plant and they cut the locks on the magazines using a cutting torch and stole the explosives and blasting caps and agreed to store the stolen explosives at Newsom’s residence.