UPDATE: Owner of cell phone store pleads not guilty to role in phone theft ring
BOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) -- The owner of a cell phone store says he's not connected to a theft ring involving stolen cell phones.
Edward Edwards entered a not guilty plea this morning in Boyd County court. His bond is set at $5,000 cash and now has a preliminary hearing on January 18.
According to Ashland Police Maj. Mark McDowell, the police department worked with Sprint to bust the theft ring of at least $10,000 in stolen phones.
APD says they responded to a call from Sprint to investigate an employee, Ryan Maynard, who police say admitted to stealing phones from store inventory and provided them to T.J. Sizemore to launder through “The Phone Store” in Ashland for a fraction of the actual cost.
Court documents say the merchandise was stolen between early November and just last week.
Documents say during the execution of a search warrant at the "Phone Store," PayPal receipts were found where Edward Edwards, who police say owns the store, purchased eight cell phones still in their box for about $300.
Police say Edwards sold some of the phones over the internet, and they found pictures of other cell phones reported stolen on Edward's personal phone.
Police say the phones were stolen from Sprint Simply Wireless in the Ashland Town Center Mall.
Store managers at the plaza where Phone Store is located described the store as "shady," and that the unwelcome activity started popping up shortly after the store opened.
"We never had any issues with our shopping plaza and nothing had ever been broken into in this area until after the phone store came," said Crissy Mayham.
Mayham is the manager of Shield of Faith Christian bookstore, which is just two doors down from the Phone Store.
McDowell says anyone who may have a bought a phone from the Phone Store in the last few months should make sure their phone isn't one of the stolen phones.
"We're aware of all the serial numbers to a limited degree of the cell phones involved here," McDowell said. "So I would encourage someone who may have purchased a phone to check with their provider. They can easily tell if the phone is a stolen phone. They can easily shut the phone off."
Investigators say Edwards is also connected to a drug trafficking ring out of Boyd and Greenup counties where several drugs were being flown into the area from Mexico.
ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) -- Two men have been arrested and another remains on the run after Ashland Police busted a cell phone theft ring.
According to Ashland Police Maj. Mark McDowell, the police department worked with Sprint to bust the theft ring of at least $10,000 in stolen phones.
APD says they responded to a call from Sprint to investigate an employee, Ryan Maynard, who police say admitted to stealing phones from store inventory and provided them to T.J. Sizemore to launder through “The Phone Store” in Ashland for a fraction of the actual cost.
Court documents say the merchandise was stolen between early November and just last week.
Documents say during the execution of a search warrant at the "Phone Store," PayPal receipts were found where Edward O. Edwards, who police say owns the store, purchased eight cell phones still in their box for about $300.
Police say Edwards sold some of the phones over the internet, and they found pictures of other cell phones reported stolen on Edward's personal phone.
APD Detectives discovered more than $10,000.00 of stolen merchandise.
Police say the phones were stolen from Sprint Simply Wireless in the Ashland Town Center Mall.
Store managers at the plaza where Phone Store is located described the store as "shady," and that the unwelcome activity started popping up shortly after the store opened.
"We never had any issues with our shopping plaza and nothing had ever been broken into in this area until after the phone store came," said Crissy Mayham. Mayham is the manager of Shield of Faith Christian bookstore, which is just two doors down from the Phone Store.
McDowell says anyone who may have a bought a phone from the Phone Store in the last few months should make sure their phone isn't one of the stolen phones.
"We're aware of all the serial numbers to a limited degree of the cell phones involved here," McDowell said. "So I would encourage someone who may have purchased a phone to check with their provider. They can easily tell if the phone is a stolen phone. They can easily shut the phone off."
Edwards and Maynard have been arrested. T.J. Sizemore remains at large.
Investigators say Edwards is also connected to a drug trafficking ring out of Boyd and Greenup counties where several drugs were being flown into the area from Mexico.
If you have any information about where Sizemore may be, you can call APD via Silent Witness at (606) 329-1771 or email silentwitness@ashlandkypd.com.
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