A man whose last known address was in Viola appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday to be arraigned on theft of property charges.
Thirty-six-year-old Alfonso Nicholas Moran, Jr., entered a not guilty plea to the charges against him.
He is represented by Mountain Home attorney Paul Bayless.
Moran is accused of stealing two trailers and a number of other items belonging to an area construction company.
One of the trailers was described as having a number of unique features including a large toolbox on the right front side, a welder/generator combination, an electric air compressor and a complete welding torch set-up.
The owner said the trailer had been taken from his residence sometime between Jan. 26 and 27.
On Feb. 20, the owner called the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office and said he had been told that Moran allegedly had the stolen trailer and was keeping it in his shop.
The victim said Moran had been working with him, lending the tip credibility.
Moran was reported to have posted a table for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
In the background, the victim saw part of a trailer in one picture and a white toolbox in another, matching the item stolen from him.
The victim also reported he had found other items missing, including a trailer carrying concrete forms.
Those items were also reported to be on Moran’s property.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim confronted Moran about the thefts and Moran allegedly admitted taking the two trailers and the other missing items.
The victim said Moran returned some of the stolen items that were in his vehicle at the time of the encounter and agreed to return the others.
The probable cause affidavit is silent on whether Moran kept his word.
The value of the trailers and other items was estimated at slightly more than $16,000.
Moran has two other criminal cases open in Baxter County.
He was charged with felony criminal mischief in mid-February stemming from alleged damage done to a residence he had rented along State Highway 126 North in Gassville.
All of the breakers in the electric panel had been destroyed. The property owner estimated it would take more than $1,000 to repair the damage.
An employee of the property owner said he had seen Moran drive into the back yard of the property Dec. 11 last year. The damage was discovered two days later.
He is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In early September, investigators were checking Moran as a possible suspect in a theft of property case.
When checking Leads on Line, an investigator discovered Moran had pawned a Glenfield Model 30 rifle at a local pawnshop in mid-August last year.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Moran has two felony convictions in Illinois and one in Texas.
His having a firearm violated Arkansas law prohibiting a convicted felony from possessing or being around firearms.
Moran has entered not guilty pleas to charges in all of the cases.
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