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On December 8, 2017, Columbia County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a reported burglary on Laurelwood Rd in Rainier, OR, in which, the victim reported that his home had been burglarized. Weeks later, a pawn shop query developed leads that led investigators to suspects in the burglary and a sting operation in which deputies arrested the suspects and recovered many stolen items.
The case came together after the original call came in when no deputies were on duty, and the call out procedure between Dispatch and deputies failed to work properly. Deputies responded later that day to take the burglary and theft report from the victim, Terry Wyle, 61, South Beach, Ore. Then, on December 27, 2017, a pawn shop in Longview, WA notified the Sheriff's Office of some suspicious items that had been pawned. A CCSO Detective responded to the pawn shop and identified one suspect from pawn shop records.
Through subsequent investigation, investigators located additional stolen items for sale some social media sites, and On January 2, 2018 conducted a sting operation in Rainier. David Glenn Barker, 33, Rainier and Daniel Fredrick Gomez, 43, Rainier were taken into custody as a result of this buy-bust operation. Investigators also seized a truck that had been used in the burglary and that also contained additional stolen property.
Detectives subsequently executed a search warrant on Gomez's house located in the 73000 block of Lindberg Road in Rainier on January 2. That house had previously been part of a months-long narcotics investigation by the Columbia Enforcement Narcotics Team (CENT).. Located during the execution of the January 2 search warrant was over $10,000 worth of stolen collectible memorabilia that belonged to Wylie. Deputies also seized a car that contained additional stolen items. Arrested at the scene of the search warrant was Desiree Kristine Kauffman, 27, Rainier and Vanessa Jeanette Zamora, 33, Rainier. A 3 year old juvenile was also placed into the custody of DHS -- Child Welfare.
An additional search warrant was written to access the items located inside of the car seized at Gomez's house and an additional $3000 - $4000 worth of stolen items were recovered from the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing, and we expect to recover additional stolen items.
Investigators also identified two additional suspects in the case: Rebecca Lynn Wynn, 30, Rainier and Bruce Dylan Arquette, 22, Rainier. Arquette and Wynn were arrested December 28 following a Columbia Enforcement Narcotics Team (CENT) investigation and charged with drug delivery offenses. Subsequent investigation developed the two as being linked to this burglary/theft case, as well. A total of 6 people have been arrested as a result of this investigation, and they are as follows:
Daniel Fredrick Gomez -- Burglary I, Aggravated Theft I (2 counts), Burglary II, Theft I, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, U and Endangering the Welfare of a Minor
David Glenn Barker -- Burglary I, Theft I (2 counts), Criminal Mischief II, Burglary II and Theft I
Vanessa Jeanette Zamora -- Theft I, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance and Endangering the Welfare of a Minor
Rebecca Lynn Wynn --Theft I (2 counts)
Desiree Kristine Kauffman -- Theft I, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor and a Felony Fugitive Warrant out of Washington State
Bruce Dylan Arquette -- Theft I.