New action in John Deere, E-1 Towing burglary cases

Some action has happened in a case with multiple defendants charged in connection with a string of burglaries and thefts including two major Havre businesses.

Fabian “JuJu” Saddler Jr., Leslie Crazyboy, Caroline Crazyboy, Gloria Crazyboy, Kate Lambourne and a 17-year-old boy all were charged in connection with the burglaries and thefts after John Deere dealer Northern Ag Solutions and E-1 Towing both reported burglaries and thefts Jan. 30.

Last week, state District Judge Kaydee Snipes Ruiz dismissed charges with prejudice, meaning they cannot be filed again, against Leslie Crazyboy and Friday approved new felony theft charges against Saddler Jr.

She denied a motion to file charges against Fabian Saddler Sr., who was accused with Saddler Jr. of conspiracy to commit theft after they both were found in Havre in a 2012 GMC Sierra pickup truck reported stolen on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

The defendants were charged after investigation of burglaries from the Havre businesses.

Court documents say a Hill County sheriff’s deputy was driving by the Crazyboy residence looking for someone who was suspected of committing thefts after the reports came in and saw a black Honda Pilot SUV that appeared to be leaving the residence, but the driver pulled his hat down and sank into the seat as if he did not want to be seen after he spotted the patrol vehicle,

At that time, an owner of E-1 Towing arrived arrived, pointing at the Honda and a green and gray Subaru Outback parked at the residence. Using his cellphone, he showed the deputy a surveillance video from E-1 showing the Subaru going through the business’ lot early that morning.

At that time, the deputy saw the Honda’s backup lights come on and conducted a traffic stop.

A female passenger left the vehicle and tried to enter the residence, and the deputy detained her, the document said. The male driver was not in the vehicle.

A woman who came out of the residence told the deputy that Saddler was the person who was driving the Honda and he had run into the residence, the document said.

Law enforcement officers found items reported stolen including from E-1 Towing and Frontline Ag Solutions, the documents said.

Officers later came back to the residence looking for the juvenile who was a suspect, documents said, and Gloria, Caroline and Leslie Crazyboy, who also live in the residence, were arrested on the basis that stolen property or evidence was found in every room in the house and the deputy found it impossible for occupants not to know about the thefts and property.

The juvenile later was arrested on drug offense charges in Cascade County.

Lambourne was arrested after a person whose house she had been watching said he found items in his garage that did not belong to him. Officers found items matching items stolen in the Jan. 30 and other thefts.

Lambourne also faces charges in two other cases. One is an unauthorized use of a motor vehice charge, alleging she drove off with then damaged and abandoned a pickup truck the owner left her in while he went into a bar to talk to someone. The other is another chase alleging criminal possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

In Leslie Crazyboy’s case, the defense filed a motion to exclude evidence because law enforcement officers made a search without a warrant and had no probable cause for the search.

Snipes ruled in favor of the motion when the prosecution did not file a response by the deadline.

After the defense moved to dismiss the case with prejudice due to lack of evidence, the prosecution moved to dismiss without prejudice, as the investigation was ongoing and new evidence could be found.

Snipes Ruiz ordered the case dismissed with prejudice.

In the new case against Saddler Jr., the prosecution moved to file conspiracy to commit theft against him and Saddler Sr.

Snipes Ruiz granted the motion against Saddler Jr., who was driving the stolen vehicle, but ruled that Saddler Sr. being a passenger in the vehicle was not proof of his knowledge of the theft or that he had conspired to steal it.

Saddler Jr. is scheduled to go to trial Aug. 28 on two felony counts of conspiracy to commit burglary and two felony counts of theft and misdemeanor counts of possessing burglary tools, theft and criminal trespass to vehicles.

Gloria and Caroline Crazyboy are scheduled to go to trial Sept. 19, Gloria Crazyboy on two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of theft and Caroline Crazyboy on one felony and one misdemeanor count of theft.

The juvenile, who turns 18 in August, was released on his own recognizance on new probation orders May 20 after prosecution agreed to his release on conditions including he wear a GPS monitoring device and a drug patch, although the prosecution noted May 6 at a status hearing that he had cut off a GPS device that morning.

The charges are being conducted under four juvenile cases still in effect, three 2015 cases that involved unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, criminal mischief, obstructing a peace officer, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, partner or family member assault, tampering with a communications device, and cases from 2016 charging criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and obstructing a peace officer and criminal endangerment.