| March 9,
2003 |
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| Setzer's
Freedom Short-lived; Back Behind Bars |
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An Icard man
who escaped from a Burke County Jail
transport vehicle Saturday morning is back behind bars and facing numerous
additional charges, including auto theft, breaking and entering to a vehicle,
and possession of stolen goods.
Johnny Everette Setzer was captured late
Sunday afternoon at the Days Inn on Fairgrove Church Road off I-40 near
Hickory. |
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| "Our jail lieutenant worked endlessly on this,
and his efforts paid off," said Burke County Sheriff John T. McDevitt. "He
received a tip from an informant, and we acted on the information with help
from Catawba County law enforcement." |
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| Investigators allege Setzer stole a Buick
LeSabre during the night from Lewis Stamey's residence on Powell Drive
Extension near Valdese. The keys had reportedly been left inside the
vehicle. |
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| Another vehicle beside Stamey's residence was
broken into, and a purse and cellphone was taken from the vehicle. The owner
was away in Charlotte, according to an investigator, but has been contacted.
She will file a breaking and entering to a vehicle report with deputies upon
her return to Burke County, the detective said. |
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| Stamey's Buick LeSabre was later found in Icard
at Piedmont Industries, a business near the escapee's residence. The purse
taken from Stamey's neighbor's vehicle was located down an embankment near the
car. |
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| Upon receiving the tip that Setzer was at the
Days Inn, officers with Burke County, Catawba County Sheriff's Office, and
Hickory Police Department converged on the motel. |
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| "Setzer refused to come to the door, so we ended
up forcing our way inside to arrest him," McDevitt said. "A K-9 dog was
deployed and he was quickly subdued." |
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| Another man was inside the room with Setzer, but
he was not charged and was eventually released, investigators stated. A
cellphone from Stamey's vehicle and the neighbor's vehicle was reportedly found
inside the motel room, in addition to the ankle cuffs attached to Setzer's legs
at the time of his escape. |
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| Setzer was returned to the Burke County Jail
Sunday evening. Indictments will be sought from a grand jury on the additional
charges in the near future, McDevitt said. |
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| ************************************************************** |
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