Today Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged high-priority offender Jacob Gary Reynolds, 32, with burglary in the second degree, theft of a motor vehicle and theft in the first degree for stealing a truck and equipment from a Fredrickson welding business. Reynolds, who was already in custody on unrelated charges, pleaded not guilty and is being held in lieu of $220,000 bail, based on his criminal history.
“Our goal with the High-Priority Offender Program is to make our community safer by focusing resources on the small percentage of offenders who are committing a large percentage of the crimes,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist.
On Dec. 28, 2015, Reynolds broke into a welding shop and stole a cargo truck containing $54,000 worth of equipment. Police received a tip that the stolen truck was spotted at a residence, and they spoke with the homeowner. He told police that Reynolds had asked to store the truck and equipment at the residence, and the homeowner didn’t think anything was wrong because he knew Reynolds was a welder.
During a text message conversation with a company employee, Reynolds admitted to the burglary and described how he broke into the shop. Phone records confirmed Reynolds was in the area of the welding business at the time of the burglary. He was arrested by the Sheriff’s Department’s Proactive Property Crimes Unit.
Reynolds has five felony convictions and two pending felony cases for unlawful possession of a firearm and manufacturing methamphetamine. He has been identified by the Prosecutor’s Office as a high-priority offender.
The Prosecutor’s Office’s High-Priority Offender Program aims to reduce crime by using data to identify and focus resources on the small number of individuals who commit a disproportionate amount of crime. For example, over the last two years, 149 individuals were arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail five or more times each. Those 149 offenders were responsible for more than 2,000 felonies.
Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
