After an observer witnessed a man acting suspiciously, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the area near Shady Cove, and identified and detained the suspect before subsequently discovering he had a total of eight outstanding warrants for his arrest and a parole violation.
While searching the suspect, deputies found 14-grams of methamphetamine on his person and a search of his vehicle uncovered 43.7-grams of fentanyl in multiple baggies packaged for sale, evidence of several additional burglaries, and burglary tools. The suspect also advised officers that he had stolen keys for approximately 20 local businesses and had hidden them in a local creek. Most of the keys and stolen property was recovered during the investigation.
Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies along with Medford Police Department detectives who responded to assist in the investigation, were able to link the suspect, identified as 48 year old Michael Jonathan Barrett of Central Point, to burglaries throughout the Rogue Valley including a Medford dental office and a Jacksonville computer store where he stole the keys to local businesses.
Barrett, 48, was arrested and is lodged in the Jackson County Jail on multiple charges including two counts of second-degree burglary, first-degree theft, second-degree attempted burglary, third-degree theft, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of a schedule II-controlled substance (fentanyl).
Barrett, who was wanted on failure-to-appear warrants for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, third-degree theft, identity theft, and second-degree burglary as well as two counts of first-degree theft and second-degree burglary, is not eligible for pre-trial release due to his parole violation for unlawful delivery of heroin.
This case is under further investigation with Medford Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office following additional leads.
