'Trail Cam Bandits' Convicted Of Theft
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jen [email protected]
Steven Briscoe, 30, Goshen, and Roger Briscoe, 34, Nappanee, both were convicted by a six-person jury after hearing about four hours of testimony Monday. Both men were found guilty of theft, a Class D felony.
In October 2005, Glen Ransbottom reported the theft of a deer stand from a secluded piece of land behind his home on CR 650N near Etna Green. Since Ransbottom had a trail camera set up near the stand to photograph deer, he decided to have the film developed to see if it showed any clues about the theft.[[In-content Ad]]Once the film was developed, one photo showed Roger and Steven Briscoe each carrying parts of the stolen deer stand.
Ransbottom could not identify the men, but gave the photo to Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Lyle Enyeart.
Enyeart worked with Sam Whitaker, prosecutor's investigator and lieutenant with the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, who arranged to have the theft and photos used in a Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week.
Once the photos and information appeared in the newspaper, a tip was received by Crime Stoppers and was forwarded to Kosciusko County Drug Task Force officer Mike Speigle.
Working from the clue, Speigle contacted the Nappanee Police Department, requesting photos of the suspects to compare with the trail photo. The Nappanee Police, who were familiar with the Briscoes from a different case, provided photos to help identify the Briscoes as suspects in the deer stand theft.
Speigle then forwarded the information to Enyeart, who continued the investigation.
Enyeart testified Monday that Ransbottom's property butts up against a nature preserve where there is no hunting. Later, Steven Briscoe took the stand and testified that he had set up his own deer stand in the nature preserve a week before the trail photo was taken.
Steven Briscoe admitted he and his brother were the men in the photo, but argued that the photo just showed them carrying his deer stand from the nature preserve on the first day of archery season. He said the pair was moving the stand, which he purchased for $50 at a flea market at Wolf Lake, to a place that was supposed to be better for deer hunting.
Steven Briscoe said he did not steal Ransbottom's deer stand and that he and his brother just were taking a shortcut back to their vehicle and did not know they were on Ransbottom's property.
When asked what happened to his deer stand, Steven Briscoe said it was stolen from the orchard he moved it to, but he never reported the theft because he did not know who may have taken it.
During his closing argument, Richard Thornet, the attorney for the Briscoes, said, "We have a missing deer stand, we just don't know who took it."
During the final argument, Kosciusko County Deputy Prosecutor Dan Hampton addressed the jury, saying "Too many things must be pieced together as coincidence to believe the defendant's story."
After listing the numerous coincidences the Briscoes wanted the jury to believe, Hampton ended his final argument.
"A photo speaks a thousand words, and in this case we have a photograph," Hampton said.
In the end, the jury returned after less than an hour of deliberation with a guilty verdict.
Both Steven and Roger Briscoe will appear in court at 8 a.m. April 5 for sentencing in Kosciusko Circuit Court. Each man faces a maximum of three years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Circuit court Judge Rex Reed told the men they were to return for their sentencing date but did not revoke their bonds.
However, during a break in the testimony Monday afternoon, Steven Briscoe was informed of a warrant for his arrest from Marshall County. The charge was one count of failure to appear for a court date on a misdemeanor count of hunting/fishing without consent. He was taken into custody by the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department after the jury returned with its verdict.
Steven Briscoe, 30, Goshen, and Roger Briscoe, 34, Nappanee, both were convicted by a six-person jury after hearing about four hours of testimony Monday. Both men were found guilty of theft, a Class D felony.
In October 2005, Glen Ransbottom reported the theft of a deer stand from a secluded piece of land behind his home on CR 650N near Etna Green. Since Ransbottom had a trail camera set up near the stand to photograph deer, he decided to have the film developed to see if it showed any clues about the theft.[[In-content Ad]]Once the film was developed, one photo showed Roger and Steven Briscoe each carrying parts of the stolen deer stand.
Ransbottom could not identify the men, but gave the photo to Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Lyle Enyeart.
Enyeart worked with Sam Whitaker, prosecutor's investigator and lieutenant with the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, who arranged to have the theft and photos used in a Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week.
Once the photos and information appeared in the newspaper, a tip was received by Crime Stoppers and was forwarded to Kosciusko County Drug Task Force officer Mike Speigle.
Working from the clue, Speigle contacted the Nappanee Police Department, requesting photos of the suspects to compare with the trail photo. The Nappanee Police, who were familiar with the Briscoes from a different case, provided photos to help identify the Briscoes as suspects in the deer stand theft.
Speigle then forwarded the information to Enyeart, who continued the investigation.
Enyeart testified Monday that Ransbottom's property butts up against a nature preserve where there is no hunting. Later, Steven Briscoe took the stand and testified that he had set up his own deer stand in the nature preserve a week before the trail photo was taken.
Steven Briscoe admitted he and his brother were the men in the photo, but argued that the photo just showed them carrying his deer stand from the nature preserve on the first day of archery season. He said the pair was moving the stand, which he purchased for $50 at a flea market at Wolf Lake, to a place that was supposed to be better for deer hunting.
Steven Briscoe said he did not steal Ransbottom's deer stand and that he and his brother just were taking a shortcut back to their vehicle and did not know they were on Ransbottom's property.
When asked what happened to his deer stand, Steven Briscoe said it was stolen from the orchard he moved it to, but he never reported the theft because he did not know who may have taken it.
During his closing argument, Richard Thornet, the attorney for the Briscoes, said, "We have a missing deer stand, we just don't know who took it."
During the final argument, Kosciusko County Deputy Prosecutor Dan Hampton addressed the jury, saying "Too many things must be pieced together as coincidence to believe the defendant's story."
After listing the numerous coincidences the Briscoes wanted the jury to believe, Hampton ended his final argument.
"A photo speaks a thousand words, and in this case we have a photograph," Hampton said.
In the end, the jury returned after less than an hour of deliberation with a guilty verdict.
Both Steven and Roger Briscoe will appear in court at 8 a.m. April 5 for sentencing in Kosciusko Circuit Court. Each man faces a maximum of three years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Circuit court Judge Rex Reed told the men they were to return for their sentencing date but did not revoke their bonds.
However, during a break in the testimony Monday afternoon, Steven Briscoe was informed of a warrant for his arrest from Marshall County. The charge was one count of failure to appear for a court date on a misdemeanor count of hunting/fishing without consent. He was taken into custody by the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department after the jury returned with its verdict.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092