Burglary ring member sent to prison

lang
Brandon Lang

by Brown County Crime Reporter, Nov 21, 2015

Convicted burglary ring member Brandon Lang will be spending the next ten years in prison after a ruling by Brown County Court of Common Pleas judge Scott T. Gusweiler on Friday, Nov 20th.

Lang is the third of four to be sentenced for his role in the group after ring member Christina Stacy was sentenced to six years in prison and Kenneth “BJ” Lunsford was sentenced to 4 years 8 months in prison. The fourth member, Samuel Stacy, has not yet been sentenced.

The burglary ring was accused of breaking into homes and businesses throughout southern Brown County in Pleasant and Union Townships, targeting bank cards, cash, firearms, personal checks and other personal property.

In one notable incident on May 6, 2015, the burglary ring brazenly broke into Ripley Laundromat to steal a coin machine. The indictments allege the group had stole golf cart batteries just the night before.

Judge Gusweiler found Lang guilty of two counts of second-degree felony burglary, one count of fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property, one count of fifth-degree felony receiving stolen property, two counts of fifth-degree felony theft, and two counts of fifth-degree felony breaking and entering.

Lang will be confined a total of ten years in Ohio Department of Corrections, must pay court costs and restitution, and undergo mandatory three years of post release control. He could spend either one year or the remainder of his parole consecutively with any additional sentence should he commit a new felony while under post release control, according to court records.

–Brown County Crime Reporter Nov 21, 2015 4:45 AM EST

Like us on Facebook and keep up with the very latest in Brown County, Ohio crime news.

Jury deliberations begin in Brittany Stykes murder case

stykes
Brittany Stykes (right) and daughter Aubree (left)
by Brown County Crime Reporter, Nov 21, 2015

Brown County court officials confirmed Friday, Nov 20 the grand jury is deliberating over evidence against suspected hitman Tommy Lopez in the 2013 murder of Brittany Stykes.

Court documents released in September revealed Lopez was implicated in the case by an ex-girlfriend, who said she was with him when he shot Brittany Stykes.

According to the ex-girlfriend, Lopez accepted two payments of $10,000 for the murder, which was meant as retaliation over a debt Stykes’ husband Shane allegedly owed.

LOPE
Tommy Lopez, suspected hitman in the Brittany Stykes murder

The ex-girlfriend waited nearly two years to come forward out of fear, but eventually decided to speak to investigators after Lopez was jailed in Kentucky on drug charges.

 

She was quoted as saying she knew Lopez had killed at least three other people, disposing the body of one in a woodchipper and burying another in a cemetery.

michaelebriede
Michaela Briede

Shortly before the Stykes murder, she said, Lopez murdered 18-year-old Michaela Briede in her Fort Mitchell, Ky home. The motive may have been robbery.

One man, the ex-girlfriend alleged, was killed by Lopez because he had sold drugs to a previous girlfriend that died of an overdose.

 

stykesjeep
Brittany Stykes’ Jeep shortly before her death

At some point after Lopez was contracted to murder Brittany Stykes, he allegedly traveled with his ex-girlfriend to Brown County on Aug 28, 2013, and ambushed Stykes by using flashing blue lights to impersonate a police officer conducting a traffic stop on her.

 

She was traveling home in her Jeep along US-68 for her father’s birthday when Stykes would first meet Lopez, according to the ex-girlfriend.

The ex-girlfriend said Lopez exited his vehicle and shot Stykes several times after she pulled over.

Aubree Stykes, her then 1-year-old daughter, was seriously injured from a bullet that exited through Brittany’s chest and hit her head just above the eyebrows. Aubree had to undergo four brain surgeries, local media station WCPO reported.

stykesmemorial
Stykes’ memorial along US-68 where she died Aug 28, 2013 (Image courtesy: Associated Press)

Shane Stykes, the husband of Brittany Stykes and alleged catalyst in leading up to her death, told WCPO in 2014 that he has ‘known since day one’ who killed his wife, but could not provide the evidence to prove it.

If the Brown County grand jury finds there is enough evidence to proceed with a case, Lopez could be charged with the murder of Brittany Stykes, the murder of her unborn child, and the attempted murder of her daughter Aubree.

The Brown County Court of Common Pleas is expected to announce the results of the deliberations between Dec 3 and Dec 17.

Lopez’ ex-girlfriend that helped shed light on the case will not be charged due to being a witness, court officials said.

Information on the individual who may have contracted the Brittany Stykes murder has not been made available.

–Brown County Crime Reporter Nov 21, 2015 2:55 AM EST

Like us on Facebook for the latest in Brown County, Ohio crime news and be sure to share our articles with your friends.

 

Brown County Sheriff’s Office looking for man accused of raping 12-year-old

UPDATE: Nov 22, 2015 08:20 PM EST – Adam Spears was arrested this morning. Brown County Crime Reporter will update with a new article as the case proceeds.

spears
Adam D. Spears (Courtesy: Facebook)
by Brown County Crime Reporter Nov 20, 2015

Brown County Court of Common Pleas issued a warrant on indictment Thursday, Nov 19 against a man accused of raping a 12-year-old child in September 2014.

Adam D. Spears, age 29, last known to live at 3967 Layman Rd, Bethel, Ohio, engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with the 12-year-old child between Sept 20 and Sept 22, 2014, the State alleges.

Spears has not yet been brought into custody and faces one count of first-degree felony rape and one count of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition. He could be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison.

—Brown County Crime Reporter Nov 20, 2015 10:12 AM EST

Like us on Facebook for the very latest in Brown County, Ohio crime news.