A 30-year-old Moosic man said he was high on Xanax when he stole guns, money, medication and other items from vehicles in Carbondale and Carbondale Twp., police charge.
Police investigating a home burglary Saturday arrested Robert Villa, who was reported breaking into a Franklin Street residence in Carbondale at 8:24 a.m. Mikayla Jones, Villa’s ex-girlfriend, told police he took Social Security cards belonging to her children.
Police observed another man — identified as Evan Gaughan — wearing a neon yellow face mask at the rear door of the apartment, according to a criminal complaint.
Upon seeing a patrol vehicle, Gaughan jumped over a fence and fled. Officers shocked him with a Taser when he refused to comply with their commands, police said. Officers detained Villa without incident.
Villa matched the description of a man seen breaking into vehicles a week earlier, according to a criminal complaint.
On March 7, as officers were investigating six vehicle break-ins reported throughout the day, they learned cash and a Glock firearm were stolen from vehicles on Gordan Avenue; a checkbook, purse and medication were taken from vehicles on Parnell Street; and sunglasses were swiped from a vehicle on Battle Avenue, according to a criminal complaint.
Police placed a single suspect — Villa — in the area of Parnell Street on March 6 around 7:40 p.m., officers said. He was later spotted going through vehicles on Battle Avenue around 7:50 p.m. and observed entering a vehicle on Gordon Avenue around 8:05 p.m., police said.
During an interview at the Hotel Anthracite in Carbondale, Villa and Gaughan told police there were firearms in the room — one belonging to Gaughan and two or three that came “from the streets,” officers said.
When questioned by officers about the thefts, Villa told police he was broke and tried to sell the guns, but no one would purchase them, according to the criminal complaint. He was previously convicted on felony charges of theft by unlawful taking in 2015 and robbery in 2017, police said.
During a search of the hotel room, officers found four firearms in an unlocked case — including two that were stolen from vehicles in Carbondale and Carbondale Twp. — 16.86 grams of crystal methamphetamine in a safe, 44 grams of marijuana in a black bookbag, 2.8 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, a small amount of crystal methamphetamine on a table, and bags commonly used to package and sell narcotics on a table, according to the complaint.
Police charged Villa with four counts of possession of firearm prohibited, four counts of theft from a motor vehicle, four counts of theft by unlawful taking, three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possessing an instrument of crime, and loitering and prowling at night. He also faces charges of burglary, criminal trespass and theft by unlawful taking related to the home burglary.
Police charged Gaughan, 24, of Taylor, with burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, evading arrest and resisting arrest. He was released on $50,000 unsecured bail.
As of Monday, Villa remained in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Villa and Gaughan are scheduled to appear for preliminary hearings March 24 at 10:15 a.m.