Zachary James Johnson
(Walhalla, SC)--------------------------------------An Oconee County man remains in jail today, on a combined $325,000 surety bond, after his arrest on 16 charges related to four separate property crime investigations.
35 year old Zachary James Johnson, who has listed addresses of Mormon Church Road in Seneca and Verner Mill Road in Mountain Rest, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 1:36am today. A hold has also been placed on Johnson by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.
Johnson has been charged with five counts of Petit Larceny, three counts of Malicious Injury to Property, two counts of Second Degree Burglary, two counts of Third Degree Burglary and two counts of Breaking into a Motor Vehicle, plus, one count each of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Grand Larceny.
The Possession of a Stolen Vehicle charge relates to the recovery of a stolen vehicle at an address on Verner Mill Road in Mountain Rest on January 21st of this year. The vehicle, a 2014 white Ford Edge, was reported stolen to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office. Based on evidence gathered, Johnson was charged with being in possession of the stolen vehicle.
Johnson was also charged with two separate property crime investigation that occurred at the same address on Winding River Road in Mountain Rest. The first incident was reported on January 22nd. According to evidence gathered during the investigation, Johnson broke into two vehicles, a 1994 Chevrolet Work truck and a 1991 Ford Explorer, taking keys from both vehicles and a pistol from the Chevrolet truck. During the same incident, Johnson was also charged with breaking into a building on the property and spray painting the inside of the windows with black spray paint.
The second incident on Winding River Road was reported on January 23rd. During that investigation, evidence was obtained that showed Johnson entered the residence where Johnson took a set of keys to a 2004 Ford Freestar Minivan and then stole the van. During the same incident, Johnson broke into a building on the property, causing damage to a window, and stealing multiple set of keys.
During the course of the investigation into the second incident on Winding River Road, investigators received word of a light that was recently on at residence at another address on Winding River Road. Investigators went to that address and discovered a window that had been pried open as a well as a door that was ajar.
Due to exigent circumstances in regards to the burglary at the nearby residence, investigators cleared the home and discovered the stolen Ford Minivan in the basement of the home. Investigators obtained a search warrant and a Crime Scene Technician was called to gather evidence.
Due to evidence gathered during the investigation at the separate address on Winding River Road, Johnson was charged with breaking into the residence, causing damage inside of the home and stealing items from the home, including an air compressor and a scroll saw.