(BRANCH COUNTY) - A Detroit-area man has been arrested following an extensive criminal investigation.
Branch County Sheriff Fred Blankenship says the investigation involved a stolen trailer, multiple search warrants, and cooperation among several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
Blankenship says on August 29, road patrol deputies responded to the 3000 block of South Springtown Road in Algansee Township on the report of a stolen trailer. Then on September 21 the case was assigned to detectives with the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division. Through their efforts, detectives developed information identifying 29-year-old Speed Miller of Detroit as a suspect in the theft.
Detectives executed several search warrants and obtained records from several entities, including AT&T, Facebook and Instagram. These efforts helped detectives develop additional evidence and further identified Miller's suggested involvement. They also learned Miller was being sought for questioning in connection with other stolen trailer investigations and was a suspect in livestock thefts in Michigan and surrounding states.
Detectives located Miller near his residence in Romulus, but he was able to get away.
On October 12, Miller was located in the Orchard Lake, Michigan area and taken into custody. He was transported to the Branch County Jail and formally arraigned on a charge of larceny of property valued between $1,000 and $2,000.
Detectives also received additional information indicated Miller may have been in possession of a firearm. They checked a residence in the 1100 block of Lester Road in Algansee Township and found the firearm. An additional charge of felony weapons including being a habitual offender enhancement has been added.