Brownsdale theft suspect pleads guilty to drug charges
Published 10:10 am Monday, September 15, 2014
One of the suspects in a Brownsdale theft ring pleaded guilty to drug charges stemming from the bust Friday in Mower County District Court.
Leeper
Troy Leeper, 40, was charged with fifth-degree drug possession and possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The second charge was dismissed as part of a plea bargain.
John Charles Dehoff, 28, and Shane Thomas Rose, 37, pleaded not guilty last month to drug and possessing weapons as a felon charges, respectively.
All three men were arrested as part of a raid on a shed, home and several vehicles in Brownsdale on July 26 after Mower County Sheriff’s deputies received burglary evidence by Mitchell County law enforcement.
Two other men were also arrested during the raid. Leeper was found sleeping in a car near the shed where the others were arrested. A fourth suspect was also arrested and has yet to be charged in Mower County.
Deputies recovered stolen tools, guns and drugs from the shed, including one gun hidden in the walls in Rose’s office next to “elaborate surveillance equipment,” according to the complaint.
Police also found electronic equipment, including several cell phones, memory cards and digital cameras, inside Rose’s truck.
Deputies eventually searched Rose’s home at the 100 block of Cedar Street Northwest and several other vehicles, where they found even more stolen contraband.
Further charges are expected for all four suspects as the investigation continues.
Leeper told police he had bought the Pontiac from Rose a month earlier and had driven to Iowa earlier in the week to take showers at public parks in Otranto and St. Ansgar. He also admitted to having .25 grams of meth and a meth pipe inside the car and told deputies he stole items to support his drug habit.
According to the complaint, Leeper said he owned a large tent set up at the 200 block of Fremont Street Southwest, which deputies determined was stolen earlier in the week.
Rose told police he let Leeper stay on the property because he was homeless and denied he stole the tools. According to the complaint, Rose said Leeper allegedly brought the stolen property, including the rifles, outboard motor and other items, to the shed and Rose told him to get rid of it.
