Union man arrested for theft of trailer taken in Noxubee County
A Union man has been arrested and charged in connection with a trailer stolen from a worksite in Noxubee County and found in Neshoba with another suspect still at large.
Mike L. Neese, 65, 12323 Road 325 in Union, was arrested and charged with simple assault and possession of stolen property.
Neese received $1,000 bond for the simple assault charge and has not received bond for the stolen property charge.
Sheriff Eric Clark said that Neese was arrested after it was determined that he was in possession of the stolen trailer.
Clark said another suspect, Braxton Sullivan, remains at large. There is a warrant out for Sullivan’s arrest.
“He has been eluding me for about a week now,” Clark said.
Clark said that he is working with other local agencies including the Union Police Department on this case.
The 14-foot enclosed trailer was recovered near a residence on Nov. 30 in the afternoon in the Linwood community.
Clark said the trailer was recovered hidden near a residence on Road 325 off of Highway 15 south. He said last week that no one in the area appeared to know where the trailer came from.
Clark used social media and the local media to spread the word and help find the trailer’s owner.
Clark said that Juan Antonio Rocha, a contractor at the Brooksville work site, provided documentation that he owned the trailer and the item was returned.
Clark said the thieves also made off with a wealth of construction equipment, including a large tool chest that took two men to move, Lincoln welding equipment, extension cords and four or five other tool bags. These items were also found in the possession of Neese after a search warrant was executed at his residence adjacent to where the trailer was found hidden and have been returned to Rocha.
“Deputies worked hard securing these items,” Clark said.
Clark said that the trailer and other items were stolen from a fertilizer plant construction site in Noxubee County near Brooksville, though Clark is still unsure how the items were transported the roughly 70 miles to Neshoba County.
Clark said that Noxubee County Sheriff’s deputies were expected to interview Neese this week. Clark said that the investigation remains open and further charges or arrests are possible.