Shoes Tie Up Three Criminals
Sonora, CA – Stolen Shoes help Sonora Police tie up some loose ends.
Officers responded to a report of a burglary at the Payless Shoes in the Cross Roads Shopping Center on November 20th. An employee says a man distracted employees while a woman stole a pair of shoes. Officers recognized the employee’s description of the man with tattoos on his face as 30 year old Joseph Eastman who they say is a transient parolee. The employee confirmed it was Eastman from a photo lineup. During the investigation officers identified the woman as 23 year old Sharmayne St. Lawrence of Columbia.
Officers spotted St Lawrence driving on North Washington Street a week later and stopped her. Officers noticed St. Lawrence was wearing the stolen shoes and say she admitted to stealing them. Later a store employee confirmed she was the woman in the store that stole the shoes. A check on the passenger in St Lawrence’s car found he was 30 year old Juan Velasquez of Sonora. Velasquez has a felony warrant for drugs and probation violation.
Police report a short time later, Eastman’s parole officer and an officer from the Sonora Police Department found Eastman at a home just outside the City.
All three were arrested. Eastman and St. Lawrence were charged with felony burglary among other charges.
