Jeremy Bell Lewandowski of Lakeview, charged with stealing a car from his mother and bringing two companions to the mother’s home who took prescription drugs and a gold coin pendant belonging to the woman, plead guily to taking the car and was given five years probation during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The mother said that her 38-year-old son and two of his friends from Branson arrived at her home on County Road 276 in the Lakeview area in mid-May and she allowed them to stay the night.
She said the next morning, she saw the friends — a male and female — loading their belongings in their car and she noted that they had taken a brown colored lock box that belonged to her. The box contained prescription medications and a $20 gold piece set in a gold bezel and hung on a gold chain. The piece was valued at $4,000.
The woman mentioned the incident to her son and he said he would go after the friends. Lewandowski took his mother’s car, a 2012 Dodge Charger, to chase the “friends” down. The victim called the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office after Lewandowski did not return with the car, nor did he contact his mother.
The two guests were later identified and the Branson Police Department and Taney County Sheriff’s Office became involved. Information was provided to investigators that the couple and Lewandowski had worked at the same motel in Branson, but the manager there said he had “run them off” approximately three days before the police contacted him.
Pawnshops in the Branson-Springfield area were checked and information was developed that the male guest had sold various items, including a gold coin pendant, in two Springfield shops. He was paid almost $1,200 for the gold coin pendant, according to investigative records.
A photo of the gold coin and chain were sent to local investigators by the Springfield Pawn Shop where it was sold, and identified by the victim and other sources as the one taken from her home.
The male guest was identified as 32-year-old Brandon Mays. He was arrested and booked into the Baxter County jail on June 10th. Mays is currently free on $10,000 bond and is in a treatment center. He was ordered to re-appear in Baxter County Circuit Court September 22nd.
A warrant is outstanding for the female guest, identified as 28-year-old Star Lynn Gann.
It was announced in open court that Lewandowski is not welcome to return to his mother’s home.
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