Father, Son duo charged with burglary
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. – A father-and-son team was arrested after police accused them of kicking in the back door of a Piney Flats home two weeks ago and stealing several thousand dollars in jewelry and high-end electronics.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office tracked some of the stolen goods to a Bristol, Va., pawn shop, which turned over the seller’s name, who, when questioned by police, told on his son.
It started Oct. 16, when the Piney Flats residents, who live in the 400 block of Poplar Ridge Road, returned home about 2:30 p.m. to find their back door open and a list of items missing, from a Bose surround sound system to custom jewelry worth hundreds of dollars.
All pawn shops in Sullivan County are required to send the sheriff’s office records of items they’ve purchased, but the rule doesn’t extend past the state line. Because there had been a string of unresolved burglaries, the detective went to several area pawn shops before finding some familiar pieces of jewelry at Southern Gold and Pawn on Commonwealth Avenue in Bristol, Va.
Sullivan County Sheriff’s Capt. Keith Elton said that because the jewelry was unique, it was easier to find.
“If you walk into a pawn shop and say ‘I’m looking for a gold wedding band,’ well, that’s like looking for a blue Ford,” he said. “Handmade, custom jewelry is really, really handy for us.”
Sullivan County detectives nabbed the dad, James Cornett, in his Johnson City home, the sheriff’s office said in a written statement. Elton said that Cornett, while being questioned by the Johnson City Police Department, admitted to the burglary and said his 19-year-old son had come along. Elton also said that Cornett is a suspect in several similar incidents in the Johnson City area, and authorities are keeping him there for the time being.
Cornett is being held at the Washington County, Tenn., Detention Center on two bonds: one $80,000 and another $85,000, according to the Washington County jail. He is charged with six counts of aggravated burglary, four counts of theft over $1,000 and one count of theft over $500.
His son, Dustin James Garland, 19, of St. Louis Street in Johnson City, is being held at the Sullivan County Correctional Facility on a $50,000 bond. He is charged with aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000.
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EARLIER
After several stolen items were located at a local pawn shop, a father and son are in jail – charged with burglary.
According to reports from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, James Cornett is in custody after admitting to a burglary in Piney Flats earlier this month as well as several other burglaries. His son, Dustin Garland, 19, of St. Louis Street, Johnson City, was also charged after Cornett admitted to police that his son accompanied him on the burglaries.
The investigation began on Oct. 16 when the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a house on Poplar Grove Road, Piney Flats. The homeowners reported that several thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and electronics, including a laptop, a television and a camera, were taken.
On Monday, Oct. 19, a detective with Sullivan County went to several area pawnshops looking for the stolen items. He located jewelry matching the description from the homeowners at Southern Gold and Pawn in Bristol, Va.
According to reports, the pawn shop was able to furnish information that led police to the home of James Cornett in Johnson City. Reports state that Cornett was questioned at the Johnson City Police Department where he admitted to the burglary in Piney Flats and several other burglaries in the Johnson City area. He also gave a statement that his son, Dustin James Garland, was with him during the burglary.
Today, police say they located Dustin Garland, who admitted to breaking into the residence on Poplar Grove Road in Piney Flats. He was arrested and is being held in the Sullivan County Correctional Facility with a $50,000 bond.
His father James Cornett is being held in the Washington County, TN Correctional Facility on burglary charges stemming from this investigation.
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Reader Reactions
Southern Gold and Pawn is a front for stolen jewelry in our community and mainly from the TN side of town I had a robbery at my home several years ago and some of the jewelery showed up at this location. They can buy your jewelry from area thieves at a cut rate price and rework your jewelry to be resold to unsuspecting buyers. There are items sold at this location that are stolen pieces from area home of hard working people of the tri cities area. Everyone should boycott this location due to their involvement in stolen jewelery. Oh by the way they were willing to resell my wife and I our stolen jewelery back at the price they paid the thief. So sad this place is allowed to do business in our city.
Gee, dad. This bonding thing is cool, but couldn’t we just go to a ball game or play catch or something?
I hope both of them get what they deserve, they both stole very personal items from my family and we’re still looking for many of the items. They’re lucky they didn’t get shot…I can’t stand a thief
Why should the father take all the blame? Do the crime, do the time. Not a matter of family tree, but a matter of doing what is right.
that sux that his dad told on him its true family does screw you over
His dad ratted him out, that sux. I’ll bet ya their family tree looks like a telephone pole.
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