By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
A felon has been sentenced to four years in prison stemming from an investigation into a string of Yukon-area storage complex thefts this summer.
Oklahoma City’s Ashley Lea Faulkner, 38, pleaded guilty Sept. 30 to second-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit a felony.
“On June 23, 2022, I cut the lock of a storage unit that was not mine with the intent to take items,” according to Faulkner’s signed guilty plea. “This was done with another individual and discussed and agreed to before it occurred.”
Faulkner had faced four years to life in prison because of previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County for second-degree burglary and entering premises with intent to steal copper.
The defendant appeared with her attorney Brenda Doroteo at a Sept. 30 hearing in Canadian County District Court.
Canadian County Special Judge Charles Gass sentenced Faulkner to serve four years in state Department of Corrections’ custody, with credit for time served.
Judge Gass ordered Faulkner to pay court-appointed attorney fees, $100 in fines, $100 in victim’s compensation assessments, and complete a drug offender program.
Assistant District Attorney Justin Kemp prosecuted the case.
Faulkner and Bethany’s Stuart Dwayne Carr, 38, were charged June 30 with conspiring to break into a storage unit at Spare Box Storage, 2409 N Sara Road.
One week earlier, the pair had used a bolt cutter to cut off the locks and enter a Yukon woman’s storage unit.
Carr had expressed to Faulkner that he wanted to steal a minibike from another unit after they were evicted from their unit, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Oklahoma City Police investigated a series of thefts reported in June at the self-storage business, which has a Yukon address but is in Oklahoma City limits.
The investigation identified Faulkner and Carr as suspects.
On Aug. 5, Carr pleaded guilty for his role in the June 23rd storage unit break-in. He received a five-year deferred sentence – except for the first 45 days to serve in the Canadian County Jail – pursuant to a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Carr also was given credit for time served in both felony counts, to run concurrently with a 2010 drunk driving case. He was ordered to pay $68.91 in restitution and follow drug/alcohol treatment assessment recommendations.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Between June 11-25, officers responded four times to the N Sara Road storage complex to investigate break-ins.
Faulkner and Carr were caught when an Oklahoma City police K9 led officers to a storage unit with no lock on it.
A Yukon officer kicked the unit’s door a couple of times then was able to open it, according to a police report.
Faulkner reportedly was inside of the unit just behind the door and Stuart was further into the unit and was laying on his stomach.
They were arrested and taken to the Canadian County Jail, where they were booked early June 24 for burglary and malicious injury/destruction of property.
