Sheriff's Reports 1-29-25: Stolen goods recovered after items posted for sale on Facebook

A man was arrested after stolen items were posted for sale on social media.

On Jan. 18, Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputy Cassondra Jones was dispatched to East 865 Road in regard to a theft incident. A woman advised she was checking on a family member's residence while they were out of state when she observed the garage door open, with the lock pried off. The woman said a side-by-side utility vehicle, two minibikes, and an ice chest were missing. Later on, the woman was told the side-by-side was spotted behind a nearby house a few days before she reported it missing. Jones went to the residence and was unable to see the stolen property from the roadway. Sgt. James Carver was informed of the incident. According to his report, the woman said she received information that William Scott Washee was attempting to sell two minibikes and side-by-side on Facebook, and there were screenshots purportedly showing the bikes and side-by-side. Deputies with the sheriff's office and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service made contact with Washee, who allegedly denied knowing why deputies were there to speak with him. Carver confronted Washee with the photos of the Facebook post and the man said the side-by-side was in a different county and the bikes were in his shop. Washee claimed he had a bill of sale of when he purchased the bikes. He showed Carver the bill of sale, that was on notebook paper. Washee said a man sold him the bikes and he didn't know his last name. He allgedly said a woman who was there during the exchange was the witness signature to the bill of sale. Washee said he forged the woman's signature and told deputies to take him to jail. Washee was arrested and booked for knowingly concealing stolen property. Carver spoke with the woman and she said the man showed up with the bikes and sold those for $200 and an ounce of methamphetamine. She said the side-by-side was sold in Tulsa.

Deputy Jaxon Thomlinson was patrolling the area of U.S. Highway 62 and State Highway 82 Jan. 25 when he noticed a vehicle traveling in the middle of both lanes. Thomlinson pulled the vehicle over and made contact with the driver, Kenney Diffee. The deputy said the odor of alcohol was coming from the vehicle and Diffee allegedly admitted to consuming alcohol. Diffee was arrested after a field sobriety test and booked for driving under the influence.

On Jan. 13, Deputy Seth Morgan was parked near State Highway 51 and Welling Road when he observed a vehicle that fail to maintain the lane of travel. The deputy followed the vehicle and said the driver crossed the center line and fog line three times. Morgan conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, who was identified as Ethan Hawkins. Hawkins advised he didn't have a driver's license nor insurance to the vehicle. Morgan said there was an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. Hawkins admitted to consuming a few drinks and was asked to step out of the vehicle. Hawkins was arrested after he refused to perform a field sobriety test. He was booked for driving under the influence - second offense within 10 years, driving while revoked, transporting an open container, and driving left of center.

These are arrests, not convictions.