The man behind a series of vehicle thefts and burglaries around Soldotna and Kenai is finally in custody. He was apprehended by Alaska State Troopers on Wednesday night.
Jon Horsley, age 35 of Anchorage, was arrested when Soldotna troopers responded to his residence. Troopers arrived there shortly after 9:00pm, and located Horsley with a known stolen vehicle. As troopers approached, Horsley fled into a wooded area behind the residence. Troopers pursued, and were able to apprehend him quickly and without further incident.
Investigation on scene identified evidence which connected Horsley to numerous theft and burglary incidents which have been reported recently in the Central Peninsula area. AST recovered two stolen vehicles and numerous items from burglary and thefts in Soldotna and Kenai.
Deputy Commander of AST A-Detachment, Lieutenant Michael Henry shared some of what led AST to Horsley’s residence on Wednesday night. “It started with a tip for one of the stolen vehicles, but the Troopers did a lot of work connecting Horsley to the vehicles and the further investigation into the additional stolen property,” said Lieutenant Henry in an email to KSRM. “Links confirmed to multiple cases in the area, from at least September, but investigation is ongoing as to how many cases will be linked to him.”
Soldotna Police Chief, Gene Meek, also provided KSRM an update on the case, but the extent of what he could share was limited since the investigation into Horsley’s crimes is ongoing.
In a phone call, Chief Meek said one of the two stolen trucks recovered at Horsley’s residence was from Soldotna, and the other was from Kenai. The former was used in another attempted crime. “It was determined that the truck stolen in Soldotna was used in a separate attempted burglary of a business in which the truck had backed into the business door using the trailer hitch as a battering ram. The door stayed in place, but the hitch was pulled free and left at the scene.”
“Same evening, Horsley accused of doing another burglary on the other side of the business,” Meek said, and went on to share a couple other acts of larceny in the area for which Horsley has been charged. “[He] was also implicated in another stolen vehicle here in the city of Soldotna and the attempt of a fourth vehicle theft. He [also] stole a wallet from yet another vehicle at Cricket Wireless and used stolen credit cards at Safeway and Holiday gas station.”
Horsley was arrested for several warrants and for dozens of charges stemming from the large number of recent cases. His charges included but were not limited to: resisting arrest, two counts of first degree vehicle theft, eight counts of second degree theft, six counts of fraudulent use of an access device, fourth degree misconduct involving controlled substances, third degree assault, second degree misconduct involving weapons, first degree fail to stop at the direction of a police officer, possession of motor vehicle theft tools, fourth degree theft, and second degree criminal trespass.
Currently, the total number of charges Horsley is facing are up to 35, but it is almost even certain more charges will be forthcoming number will as AST, Soldotna Police, and Kenai Police continue their investigations and compile a collective list of burglary and theft reports now connected to Horsley’s criminal escapade.
He was remanded at the Wildwood pretrial center.