Prosecutors charged a Franklin teen as an adult following an October burglary.
Preston Michael Herbert Young, 16, is charged with burglary of a dwelling, a Level 4 felony. If convicted, he could face up to 12 years in prison.
Franklin police responded to a burglary report shortly before 5 p.m. Oct. 21 in the 100 block of West King Street. The homeowner told dispatchers his house had been broken into while he and his family were on vacation, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Johnson County Circuit Court.
The homeowner told police a gun he had purchased for one of his children was missing, along with two loaded magazines. The homeowner told police there were no signs of forced entry, and that he believed the suspects had made entry through an upstairs bedroom window, which had damaged blinds but no other signs of damage. The window was believed to be unlocked, according to court documents.
The homeowner also told police his wife had received a home security alert while they were on vacation. The alert said the front door had been opened and closed around 12:30 a.m. Oct. 20, but when the family returned, the door was closed and locked, court documents show.
The victim told police he knew who stole the gun, and said it was someone who had previously been to the home. That person was later identified as Young, according to court documents.
The victim told police right after the gun was discovered missing, they messaged Young about it and he had admitted to stealing the gun before some of the messages were deleted. The victim showed police a message chain regarding the burglary. In it, Young said he stole the gun because he needed it. The victim asked Young to bring back the gun, but he said he couldn’t because officers had taken the gun from him, court documents show.
Franklin police had seized the gun after they found Young in possession of it during a separate incident on Oct. 20. Police later confirmed the gun found on Young was the stolen weapon, according to court documents.
The victim said Young said he took the gun because people were trying to kill him, and Young had sent the victim a photo of the stolen gun before later admitting he stole it. In one conversation between Young and the victim, Young said he was sorry for taking it and had asked for the victims not to report the missing gun to the police. Young also said if the father did report it, he would turn himself in, court documents show.
Later that evening, police received additional information from the homeowner that Young had called the victim to tell him everything that happened. Young told the victim he entered the home through a dining room window, and he also stole birthday money bags, according to court documents.
Young was initially charged in juvenile court before signing a waiver that moved the case to adult court last week. Due to the case moving to adult court, he now has the same rights and obligations as an adult, Johnson County Prosecutor Joe Villanueva said in an email.
Young’s bond is set at $6,600, and he will remain at the Dickinson Juvenile Justice Center until he either posts bond or the case is resolved, Villanueva said.
An initial hearing is set for Monday.
