Sonora Man Arrested For Burglarizing Long Barn Homes

TCSO booking photo

Long Barn, CA – A man was arrested for the burglary of two Long Barn homes after first being given a warning for trespassing at one of the residences.

A report of an unknown man on private property on North Fork Road near Merrill Springs Road recently brought Tuolumne County Sheriff’s deputies to check out the subject. When deputies arrived, they contacted 39-year-old Jonathan Johnson of Sonora in a forested area of the property holding a metal detector.

A record check revealed that Johnson was on parole for burglary. Sheriff’s officials noted, “Deputies continued to investigate and located bolt cutters and an electric grinder near a camping container with a door that had been forced open.” However, a search of him and his vehicle did not locate anything illegal, and Johnson was given a trespass warning.

The next morning, after receiving information from Johnson’s parole officer, deputies responded to a property in the area of Long Barn Road near Long Barn Lane. Upon their arrival, deputies searched the area and then heard footsteps in a residence that appeared vacant. Sheriff’s officials relayed, “Deputies surrounded the residence and made announcements for approximately an hour, calling for Johnson to come out. Eventually, Johnson exited the residence and was taken into custody without further incident.”

Deputies also discovered signs of forced entry into the residence and located Johnson’s backpack, a metal detector, methamphetamine, drug use paraphernalia, and a round of ammunition. Johnson was arrested on charges of first-degree burglary, being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, felony violation of parole, possession of a controlled substance, and stolen property, along with resisting arrest. Additionally, Johnson was booked on charges of second-degree burglary and felony parole violation for being at the first home.

A search of Johnson’s Sonora residence turned up additional ammunition and various other items, including power tools and jewelry, which sheriff’s officials believed to be stolen property. The items were seized for safekeeping, while additional follow-up is being done to determine the owners of the property, according to sheriff’s officials. Johnson tacked on an additional charge of a prohibited person in possession of ammunition. They added that this case remains under investigation and that no further information is being released.