Sonora Man Arrested In Connection To Long Barn Burglaries
Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office reports that a man was arrested on burglary charges for crimes occurring on consecutive days in the Long Barn area.
The sheriff’s office initially responded to North Fork Road, near Merrill Springs Road, this past Monday, to investigate a report of a trespasser on private property. They found 39-year-old Jonathan Johnson of Sonora, who was on parole for burglary, holding a metal detector. Deputies searched Johnson, and his vehicle, but did not find anything suspicious, so he was released with a trespass warning. However, upon further investigation, deputies found bolt cutters, and an electric grinder, near a camping container that had its door forced open.
The following day, Johnson’s parole officers gave a tip to deputies that he was in the area of Long Barn Road, near Long Barn Lane. They approached a home that looked vacant, but they could hear footsteps inside. Deputies surrounded the home, and made announcements for an hour, urging Johnson to come outside. Eventually, he came out and was taken into custody without further incident.
The sheriff’s office reports, “Deputies continued their investigation and located signs of forced entry into the residence. Inside the residence, deputies located Johnson’s backpack and a metal detector. Deputies also found methamphetamine, drug use paraphernalia, and a round of ammunition belonging to Johnson (which he was prohibited from having.”
Johnson’s residence was also searched later that day, and officials found power tools and jewelry which are believed to have been stolen. An investigation is ongoing.
