Trenton Cave, 21, of Eufaula, has pled guilty to 16 charges stemming from a short-lived robbery spree in December 2024.
On May 28, District Judge Mike Hogan sentenced Cave to a total of 24 years in prison, 10 years for possession of a stolen credit card and conspiracy, and one year each for 14 individual charges including burglary, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and others. On April 24 an accomplice pled guilty to 13 charges, including four counts of accessory to burglary in the third degree; accessory to credit/debit card theft; four counts of conspiracy to commit a felony; possession of a firearm in the commission of felony and knowingly concealing stolen property.
Jodi Shelea Hays, 20, of Checotah, was sentenced to 10 years, all suspended.
Between them, two young burglary suspects face almost 30 felony and misdemeanor counts after being caught on video breaking into cars at a residence in a rural area near Eufaula.
Upon further investigation, it is alleged that the pair burglarized numerous residences and vehicles in McIntosh and Pittsburg counties.
Cave and Hays are accused of acting in concert in their burglary spree, with Hays driving and Cave doing most of the burglarizing.
A video presented as evidence during a hearing allegedly shows Cave breaking into three vehicles at one site while carrying a rifle and repeatedly pointing it at the residence.
Both were arrested on Dec. 30 and arraigned on multiple charges on Jan. 7, when Associate District Judge Brendon Bridges entered not guilty pleas on their behalf.
He set bond for Cave at $1 million and for Hays at $100,000.
Investigator Kevin Branscum with District Attorney’s Office District 25 outlined the chain of events in a probable cause affidavit leading up to the arrests.
He said that on Dec. 29 Dustin Berry of rural McIntosh County that three vehicles parked outside his residence had been burglarized.
“Berry explained that upon the discovery that items were stolen from his vehicle, he began reviewing home video surveillance tapes and observed an unknown male enter his property on foot and proceed to burglarize three vehicles …” About $1,775 worth of merchandise were taken in that theft, he said.
Through his investigation, Branscum says he identified Cave and Hays as the suspects and went to their residence, where numerous items reportedly taken in burglaries were found.
He also identified four more victims of burglaries, allegedly by the two suspects.
One of the victims lost about $1,500 worth of property; another lost $498.
According to Branscum, Hays would drive their vehicle while Cave sat in the passenger seat looking for targets to burglarize.
