A man first charged with breaking into a single vehicle and wound up accused of doing the same thing to six more appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday.
A jury trial for 26-year-old Nathaniel Ryan Kramer of Salesville is now set for February 27.
Kramer has already pled not guilty to a large number of charges, including multiple counts of breaking or entering, trafficking in drugs, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and theft by receiving.
LIST OF CRIMES GROWS
In late July, the Baxter County Sheriff’s office opened an investigation into the theft of a pistol from Big Steve’s Pawnshop. A tip was received that the stolen weapon had been traded to Kramer for drugs.
Shortly after the investigation was opened, a report of a person breaking into a vehicle was received by the sheriff’s office. A description of the suspect was broadcast and a deputy reported coming in contact with a male matching the description walking down a highway.
KRAMER ON PAROLE
The man was stopped and identified as Kramer. Earlier in the investigation, Kramer had been reported to be on active parole with a signed search waiver on file.
A parole officer in the Mountain Home probation/parole office was contacted and a compliance visit was made at Kramer’s residence.
The search turned up a number of drugs including 75 grams of a fentanyl-methamphetamine mixture and 49 grams of marijuana. Several items of drug paraphernalia, including digital scales and devices used for smoking both methamphetamine and marijuana.
SUSPECT LAWYERS UP
At one point, Kramer is reported to have admitted to breaking into two vehicles and receiving the pistol reported stolen at the pawnshop in exchange for a quantity of meth and $125.
By the time Kramer was transported to the Baxter County jail, other reports of vehicle break-ins in the same general area were being received.
Four of the vehicles were in the same location at an address along State Highway 5 South. A surveillance video is alleged to show Kramer going from vehicle-to-vehicle opening doors to the ones left unlocked and helping himself to the contents.
After investigators saw the video, they brought Kramer back to the Criminal Investigation Division and began a process of tying to tie vehicles with items of stolen property.
In the probable cause affidavit it is noted that Kramer was having trouble completing the task. Investigators surmise that Kramer, “has broken into so many vehicles, he does not remember what items belong to what vehicles.”
When confronted with the mounting amount of new evidence, Kramer asked for an attorney.
According to electronic court files, Kramer has had a significant number of criminal cases opened against him in several Arkansas Counties.
In addition to Baxter, charges have also been brought in Conway, Lincoln and Pulaski Counties. Most of the charges have stemmed from alleged property thefts.
He was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in Pulaski County in 2019.
At one point, Kramer was freed on his own recognizance to check into an in-patient therapy program. He was not in the program long, however. Records show he climbed over a fence and took off with his girlfriend.
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