By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – A husband and wife with multiple warrants for their arrest were booked into the Graham County Jail on Nov. 11 after they were discovered during a theft investigation.
Robert Maldonado, 45, was taken into custody on a warrant after being located hiding facedown in a horse corral. His wife, Crystal Yvonne Maldonado, 48, was also arrested and booked for three warrants all relating to shoplifting charges.
The Maldonados were discovered after a neighbor called police to report he believed they had stolen his property.
A deputy was originally dispatched to an area near the intersection of Vine Lane and S. Montierth Lane at about 8:43 a.m. regarding a theft. The victim said several items of his were missing, including a generator, air spray guns, two tool boxes with various tools and four 225/40R18 tires on black and silver rims. The victim said it appeared weeds to the north of his residence toward his neighbors were trampled and he believed the thieves were responsible.
The deputy examined the property to the north where the tracks led but the front gate was locked with a chain. Due to the height of the gate and a block wall, the deputy was not able to look into the property for the items. The deputy told the victim and the victim’s family he would come back later when the gate was open and the residents were awake.
Roughly half an hour later, the victim informed County Dispatch that he had located his tires on the northern property with the gate.
The deputy returned and found the gate open and numerous family members of the victim on scene. Apparently a man who said he takes care of the horses on the property opened the gate, and the victim’s family located some of the stolen property. At that time, a woman who lives there, ran but was caught by the family members and brought back to the property.
The woman initially identified herself as Yvonne Garcia, but the deputy later learned the woman had given him false information and that she was really Crystal Maldonado. She said she ran from the scene because she was scared of the neighbors and that her husband, later identified as Robert Maldonado, had left earlier to talk with someone about a job.
A short while later, the deputy heard noise coming from the corral area and discovered Robert Maldonado facedown next to a horse. Robert claimed he was assaulted by an unknown person who had taken the property from the victim’s residence after Robert told him to return it.
After being looked at by paramedics from Southwest Ambulance, Robert Maldonado was booked into jail on his warrant.
Crystal Maldonado was also booked on her warrants. She was found guilty on all three counts and was given a jail sentence.
The victim recovered his tires, but the other stolen items were not located.
