Jailer connects jail book-in to Jasper burglary

A jailer noticed items that appeared to be stolen when a Jasper man was being booked into the Dubois County Security Center for a marijuana possession charge Saturday afternoon.

According to police, a deputy stopped Carlos A. Hernandez Castaneda, 21, of Kaywood Lane, and arrested him for possession of marijuana. While Castaneda was being booked into the security center, jail staff located bank cards, a driver’s license and gift cards belonging to another individual connected to a burglary investigation being conducted by the Jasper Police Department.

Jasper Police Department opened the investigation Friday after receiving a report of a burglary from a residence on the 1700 block of Jackson Street. Among the items was a credit card that officers learned had been used to rent a video game from a Redbox Kiosk. Police said they had a person of interest but he had not been located yet.

The items in Castaneda had on his person during book-in belonged to the burglary victim.

According to police, Castaneda advised police the Redbox video game rental may be in his hotel room. During a search of the room, officers located the fraudulently obtained video game as well as about a gram of methamphetamine.

Castaneda was charged with a Level 4 felony count of burglary as well as Level 6 felony counts of theft, fraud and possession of methamphetamine.