Police: Theft of donation jar leads to meth charges
A man suspected of stealing a donation jar from a local restaurant is now facing charges of possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Charles Burgess, 32, of Las Vegas, was arrested Nov. 11 for felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor larceny.
According to a statement of probable cause filed in San Miguel Magistrate Court, officers with the Las Vegas Police Department were called to Pino’s Truck Stop on N. Grand Avenue around 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 because a man who’d been asked to leave was still on the property.
Police were already looking for Burgess because he’d been reported missing from a boarding home earlier in the evening, and officers arrived at the truck stop to find Burgess leaving Pino’s Restaurant.
Burgess walked out of the restaurant carrying a concealed object wrapped inside a jacket, according to police.
After Burgess was detained, officers inspected the jacket and located a jar that had been on the counter of the restaurant. The jar contained $12 in donations that had been collected for a man undergoing treatment for an illness.
Police arrested Burgess for the theft of the donation jar, and according to police, Burgess admitted he also had methamphetamine in his jacket. During a search of Burgess’ jacket, officers located a small bag of meth and a light bulb, which is commonly used to smoke methamphetamine.
Burgess was booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center that evening. During a hearing the next day, Judge Christian Montaño set an unsecured bond of $2,000 for Burgess, and he was released from SMCDC.
In 2014, Burgess pleaded no contest to misdemeanor larceny. In January 2017, Burgess was charged with felony larceny after he stole a 60-inch TV from the boarding home where he lives, but pleaded guilty to misdemeanor larceny in a plea agreement. Burgess also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor larceny in April 2017 for stealing $33 from another man at the boarding home.
Burgess is being represented by public defender David Silva and is scheduled to appear in Magistrate Court Dec. 12 for a preliminary hearing.
