MARLBORO COUNTY, SC (WMBF) Two men have been convicted in
connection with burglaries occurring in the Pee Dee in 2008, announced Marlboro
County Sheriff Fred Knight.
Daniel David, 49, of Bennettsville was convicted and W.R.
Douglas, 57, also of Bennettsville, pled guilty following their indictment in
February of 2011. Both men were convicted of two counts of Possession of Stolen
Goods and Unlawfully Transporting Interstate Commerce, in a case investigated
by the FBI and the Marlboro County Sheriff's Office.
Another defendant, a
Robeson County farmer, was indicted previously but passed away prior to his court
appearance, Sheriff Knight said.
David requested a jury trial, which began Monday and
concluded Wednesday. After hearing testimony from witnesses from North and
South Carolina, David was found guilty on all charges.
David and Douglas will be sentenced at a later date.
The
charges stem from an incident that occurred on May 31, 2008. Officers with the
Marlboro County Sheriff's Office responded to a call on Tyson Avenue in
Bennettsville in reference to a reported burglary. Responding officers
discovered that an industrial trailer, corn seed, soybean and farm chemicals, valuing
more than $50,000 had been stolen.
One
off-duty officer recalled seeing a vehicle matching the description of David's
in that location the night before when he was working EMS. An interview of
David designated him as a person of interest in the case. A call to the media
for assistance in cracking the case led to a residence in Maxton, NC where the
stolen trailer was recovered, Sheriff Knight said.
The
recovered trailer led investigators to a witness that identified the farmer. Investigators
then learned that David and Douglas had used a U-Haul to move stolen goods, and
were able to discover it was rented from McColl.
Investigators
believed their suspects were tied to a larger theft ring due to information
found through court orders of phone records. The investigators then contacted
the US Attorney's Office and Florence Office of the FBI.
Cooperation
from the deceased suspect led investigators to recover several stolen items,
including a stolen tractor in Robeson County valued at $37,000. That tractor
was stolen from Judge Rob Stanton in 2005. The MCSO Investigators then
recovered a tractor valued at $62,000 stolen from a man in Bristow, among
others recovered in the area once belonging to Pee Dee residents.
The
investigation that lead to the arrest and trial of David, Douglas and the
deceased co-defendant was conducted by the FBI and Marlboro County Sheriff's
Office with assistance from the Robeson County Sheriff's Office and the Dillon
County Sheriff's Office.
Marlboro
County Sheriff Knight said, "This has been a lengthy but productive
investigation that has resulted in two convictions and nearly $200,000 worth of
stolen property recovered. This case is an example of what persistence and
determination can accomplish. The North Carolina state line can sometimes
hinder investigations but when we got the FBI involved we were able to curtail
come of that. Farming is a huge industry in the state and county and the thefts
that occurred put these owners in a hard financial position. I would also like
to thank the public for the tips and information that we receive daily. These
tips continue to help us solve cases."
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