February 10, 2016
By Paul Joseph, Paragon Communications News Director –
Four Western Oklahomans are in jails that spread over a two county area after a series of burglaries. One, an Elk City woman, has already pleaded guilty to burglary in the second degree, but is in jail – in another county – on a second burglary charge.
The other three, all men, are in either the Custer County or the Beckham County Jail, today.
According to multiple probable cause affidavits, police believe the four were involved in at least one of the two burglaries in Weatherford and Elk City. Some are implicated in both.
On December 19, an automatic car was burglarized and money stolen during early morning hours. According to video surveillance, a small dark colored pickup drover around the car wash at 2:20 am and again at 2:45 when two people got out wearing dark clothing and began prying the door of the car wash equipment room.
About a week later, during an interview with a person previously arrested by Elk City police, 25-year-old Wesley James Houghton of Elk City implicated 18-year-old Zachary Wayne Paul Gillum of Erick, 25-year-old Aren Benavidez of Elk City and 29-year-old Shade P. Barna of Elk City in the crime at the car wash. Houghton told the investigator that he needed money and Benavidez allegedly told the three they needed to go, “hit a car wash.”
The affidavit says Gillum drove the quartet to Walmart in Weatherford where they allegedly stole a crow bar before coming back to the car wash. Houghton and Benavidez had on masks and gloves and allegedly took an estimated $25 in cash and a “bunch of car wash tokens,” according to the document.
At a later interview, Gillum allegedly told police that one of the four had brought “some dope with them and they all used.”
Houghton also allegedly told Elk City Police that he, Benevidez and Barna were also involved in the burglary of a home in December in the 300 block of Howard Street in Elk City where multiple tools were stolen as well as a firearm, heater, televisions and speakers.
During the course of the Elk City burglary investigation, police located the heater and a DVD player at Benevidez’s residence while Houghton assisted in finding all the other stolen items.
Barna confessed to going inside the Elk City residence with Benevidez and was reportedly inside when Houghton broke into a safe and stole a firearm. She additionally confessed to stealing liquor bottles.
Barna pleaded guilty in Beckham County District Court on January 19 to burglary in the second degree and received a three year deferred sentence and charged court costs. She still has a court date in Custer County on her 2nd degree burglary in that county for her alleged involvement in the car wash burglary.
As for the three men, they’re scattered between the two jails on 2nd degree burglary charges.
Houghton and Benavidez are both in the Beckham County Jail on bonds for the additional charge of malicious injury to property over 1-thousand dollars. Houghton is in jail on a $500-thousand dollar bond and Benavidez on a $200-thousand dollar bond.
Gillum is in the Custer County Jail on a 10-thousand dollar bond – also for burglary in the second degree.
The 25-year-old Houghton has previously pled guilty to felonies in 2013 and 2015 and the 25-year-old Benavidez has pled guilty to felonies in 2009, 2013 and 2014.
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