Everett Galloway
A man who pretended to assist a law enforcement officer in the initial phase of an investigation into the theft of a side-by-side UTV ended up being sentenced to eight years in prison for stealing it.
Fifty-nine-year-old Everett Wayne Galloway who lists an address along Optimus River Road in Stone County appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday and entered a guilty plea to a charge of theft of property.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Galloway was on a construction crew working on a vacation home from which the side-by-side disappeared.
When a deputy responded to the residence on March 15 last year, he was told the owner of the construction company noticed the side-by-side missing and reported it to the sheriff’s office.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the keys to the UTV were kept in a drawer in the residence. The investigator reported the construction workers had access to the house.
Galloway is reported to have stood with the investigator and discussed the tire tracks that had been left behind when the UTV was stolen.
Several tools were also taken including a chainsaw and hand trimmers.
About three months after the theft was reported, the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that Galloway was in possession of the stolen side-by-side.
The Stone County Sheriff’s Office was notified and the side-by-side was found sitting in the front yard of Galloway’s residence in Optimus across the White River from Calico Rock.
Several of the tools reported stolen were found in the UTV.
In addition to Baxter County charges stemming from the theft of the UTV, Galloway is charged in Stone County with theft by receiving and a jury trial is now scheduled in late July.
Investigators said about 400 miles had been put on the side-by-side since it had been stolen and the unit was also reported to have been damaged.
Galloway was located at his place of employment and arrested. He claimed he had purchased the UTV, valued at almost $19,000, for $1,000 from a person known to him only as “Chief” about a month before his arrest.
He said the person he knew as Chief wanted to get rid of the side-by-side because he believed it was about to be repossessed and Galloway told investigators he was glad to help the man out.
He is reported to have been unable to provide any additional information on “Chief,” such as his actual name, phone number and address.
At one point, Galloway is alleged to have told investigators that he walked 20 miles to Chief’s residence in order to take possession of the side-by-side.
When asked to provide the location of Chief’s house, Galloway was unable to do so.
Investigators said the interview was terminated when Galloway’s answers “became so absurd it was obvious he had no intention of telling the truth.”
Victim restitution in the case is to be determined.
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