A Sand Springs man was arrested over a week ago on charges related to public intoxication, as well as stolen vehicle and property charges that resulted in the recovery of over $12,000 in what police say is likely stolen equipment.
Thirty-four-year-old John Eugene Espinoza was arrested in Sapulpa on June 12th near the 9500 block of New Sapulpa Road (State Highway 66) as Sapulpa Police Officer Madison Henson was called to investigate a suspicious vehicle.
According to the arrest affidavit, Espinoza was spotted filling up a “red truck that appeared to have been painted gray,” with a gas can. He told police that he and another person, identified only as “Clint” were on their way to a scrap yard to drop off some material. Henson noticed in the bed of the truck were two A.C. Units, plus “various other parts,” according to the report. “Clint” was the one Espinosa said was driving the truck.
Espinoza told police he was “going to get his fix” with “Clint,” and admitted to them that he regularly smoked fentanyl and had, in fact, smoked it just prior to the officers’ arrival. He told them the truck had run out of gas and that “Clint” had begun walking north on New Sapulpa Road earlier. Officers were unable to locate anyone matching “Clint’s” description.
According to the affidavit, Officer Henson was unable to find a tag or a VIN number for the vehicle at first—the tag and the VIN plate by the windshield had both been removed. Espinoza told Henson he found that strange and that he would not have gotten in the car, had he known that. He also said he thought it strange that the car needed a screwdriver to start, but stated that “Clint” had told him he lost the keys.
Henson found a VIN number for the car in the door frame, though it had been spray painted over. According to the arrest report, Henson said the number was “still readable” and ran it through the National Crime Information Center database, where it was listed as stolen.
Espinoza was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, public intoxication, and possession of a vehicle with an Altered VIN. A criminal history check revealed multiple charges for possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen vehicle, and burglary in multiple counties.
Police did an inventory of the vehicle’s contents and found that the A.C. Units and the parts had been reported stolen from a shop in Glenpool. Police say the total amount of stolen items equals approximately $12,305.00
