Stuck truck leads to burglary arrest

Dewey Schoenewald has been arrested on burglary charges after his vehicle was found stuck in snow at a private property where several buildings had been broken into.

On January 19, a Crook County Sheriff’s Office sergeant was dispatched to a property in Moorcroft that he describes as sitting on a private road with no fewer than five “No Trespassing” signs in plain view. At the property, he interviewed the owners.

The owners claimed they had arrived home to see an unattended silver pickup truck stuck in the snow and footprints leading to the shop building. The shop had allegedly been locked when the property owners last used it and was now unlocked.

According to court reports, someone had gone through the contents of the building and placed items of value on a flatbed trailer. The sergeant reports that footprints in the snow indicated that person had crossed a wire fence with another “No Trespassing” sign.

The tracks led to a building where the screws from the hasp used to lock the door had been removed and a case of antifreeze had been placed by the door. At another building, a padlock had allegedly been removed from the door, a set of deer antlers had been removed and a shovel had been taken and was now located next to the stuck pickup.

Though the tracks continued to another building and camper trailers, the sergeant reports that no other entries appeared to have been made. On the tailgate of the stuck pickup, he allegedly observed tools including a hacksaw and cordless drill.

The vehicle was confirmed as belonging to Schoenewald, who arrived shortly after with another vehicle and two other people to retrieve it. Schoenewald allegedly admitted to driving the pickup to its current location and entering various buildings.

Schoenewald has been charged with burglary, a felony punishable with a maximum penalty of ten years of incarceration, a $10,000 fine or both. He has also been charged with a felony count of possession of burglar tools, punishable by up to three years of jail time, a $3000 fine or both.

Schoenewald also faces one misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass.