Arrests should close eight burglary cases

• Recovered items boast price tag up to $400,000

 Article contributed by The Journal Record 

By TRACY ESTES

News Editor

winfield - Arrests in a recent series of burglaries has resulted in the arrest of three Marion County residents and a Louisiana man with up to $400,000 worth of material recovered in the investigation.

Burglaries linked to the arrests date back to as early as October with the victims living primarily in Winfield. Authorities have noted the process brings to a close the investigation into at least eight known burglaries.

“This is one of the largest I have ever seen,’’ Winfield Investigator Brett Burleson said in an interview with the Journal Record.

“The range of items taken in these burglaries runs from one end of the spectrum to the other--ranging from old watches and knives handed down from one generation to the next to electronics, guitars and jewelry.’’

Sandra McDonald Youngblood, 42, Winfield, was arrested in connection with the case as was her son, Jacob Wade Youngblood, 19, also of Winfield.

Jeffery Harrison Cascio, 22, Louisiana, and Anthony Brody Pennington, 32, Brilliant, were also arrested in the case.

Charges include burglary and theft of property. Arrests in the case were made after a search warrant was executed at Youngblood’s home in Winfield on Friday, Dec. 14.

Officers with four local agencies were gathered at the home to execute the warrant. None of the suspects were at the scene was the authorities arrived, but three of the four pulled up in a sports utility vehicle during the search.

Attempting to flee the scene after realizing what was taking place at the home, Youngblood and her son left the residence with Cascio also inside the vehicle. Police gave chase on foot trying to prevent the suspects from leaving the scene.

Unsuccessful in the effort, authorities pursued the three in their respective vehicles before catching the suspects in northern Fayette County in the Bobo Community.

The fourth suspect in the case (Pennington) was arrested the following day.

Pursuing on foot were Winfield Police Chief Bobby Blaylock and police officer Rusty Hulsey.

Securing the suspects were Burleson, officer Jeff Davis and Fayette County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Jeremy Latham.

Numerous stolen items were discovered inside the vehicle as authorities noted the three had just returned from a trip to Birmingham where other items had been sold at a pawn shop.

Burleson said the primary suspect’s home was filled with stolen items which had yet to be sold at pawn shops.

“Items were being stolen one day and sold the next as not to hold on to them too long at a time,’’ Burleson said of the turn of events.

“These arrest appear to have solved eight burglaries for us dating back to Oct. 5 and in two counties. This is not the end to all of the cases we are working, but we do believe this will solve most of them.’’

Victims have worked with the Winfield police over the last several days identifying their personal belongings as the materials have been stored in a secure location.

Burleson said one victim alone suffered more than $32,000 in losses.

Stolen items included, but were not limited to jewelry, electronics, firearms, guitars, pressure washers, furniture, watches and knives, historic and collectible coins and much more.

Blaylock praise Burleson for his work in the case as well as other departments which rendered assistance.

“The total investigative hours in this is unknown but very substantial,’’ Blaylock said. “Brett and the staff did a great job with these cases.

“He managed to pull so many departments together with each adding a little bit of information to the puzzle. In the end, it was a piece from here and there that added up in the final process. I want to offer my appreciation to him and all the other departments for their assistance with this case.’’

Lending assistance were the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Brilliant Police Department.

Burleson also praised the teamwork involved with the case.

“(Marion County) Sheriff Kevin Williams and (Fayette County) Sheriff Rodney Ingle were very helpful. I really do appreciate their assistance.

“This truly was a multi-jurisdictional case. Everyone in this case contributed one bit of information or another to bring these arrests about. The public support was great, too.’’

The investigator noted the Walker County Sheriff’s Department also rendered aid by providing information which allowed local authorities to clarify points between this and an unrelated case.

Reviewing the process, Burleson noted authorities had uncovered hair from a broken glass at one of the homes as the suspects appear to have entered the home by breaking a window.

Another piece of evidence was a footprint left inside a home at the time of one of the burglaries. Raining at the time of this particular event, one of the suspects left a wet footprint inside a home. The print was later matched to the tennis shoes worn by one of the four suspects.

(When a defendant is charged with a crime, the charge is merely an accusation until or unless the defendant is proven guilty.)