A Gillette man accused of stealing a truck and trying to break open an ATM in Douglas is now facing prosecution in felony-level court.
Jonathan Roberts, who turns 41 this year, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of felony property destruction and attempted felony theft, according to charging documents filed last week Converse County District Court.
This case stems from an attempted ATM break-in that happened the morning of Jan. 2, on Walnut Street in Douglas.
A subject pulled up to Converse County Bank at 5:33 a.m. in a green Dodge truck, got out and approached the ATM on foot while wearing a black jacket with a triangular logo on the left breast and left shoulder, and a white hooded sweatshirt underneath his jacket, according to an evidentiary affidavit by Douglas Police Department Detective Sean Leman.
The suspect also wore a blue ski mask, black gloves and black shoes bearing the logo of comic book antihero The Punisher, says the affidavit.
He shook a spray paint can and reportedly blasted black paint onto the ATM’s camera lens while leaning away from the lens. Then he used the hammer and haligan pry tool to try to pry open the ATM. He failed, but damaged the ATM in the process, the document says.
Scoot
When a car passed the ATM on a nearby street, the masked figure hid behind the ATM, then he threw the spray paint can in the back of the truck and fled the scene.
A Converse County deputy found the truck on Overhill Trail abandoned five hours later. The affidavit says authorities also found the spray paint can, haligan pry tool, sledgehammer, and a chain and hook in the truck bed.
The vehicle was reportedly stolen out of Gillette. A source, whom the affidavit does not name, said Roberts was involved in the theft and was in Douglas during the ATM incident.
One Day Earlier
One day before the attempted heist on Jan. 1, the ATM camera allegedly captured Roberts visiting it in his “personal vehicle” and checking the balance of two different debit cards.
“(He) appears to be ‘casing’ the ATM,” says Detective Leman’s account of the evidence, in the affidavit.
Roberts did that for seven minutes, Leman added.
During the alleged “casing,” Roberts was wearing a black coat with a white triangular logo on its left breast and left shoulder, with a white stain on the right sleeve and a white sweatshirt underneath. The affidavit says this outfit matched the one the masked suspect wore during the attempted heist.
Roberts was arrested April 22, his file says.
Douglas Circuit Court Judge Clark C. Allan transferred Roberts’ case from the lower-level circuit court to the felony-level district court April 30, after finding the state has shown probable cause that Roberts committed felony property destruction and attempted felony theft.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
