Matthew Edward Gauger

     A rural Mountain Home man, 29 year old MATTHEW EDWARD GAUGER, has been arrested on charges connected to the break-in of a residence and property stolen from the residence.

     On March 2nd, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary at a cabin in the Henderson area.  The front door of the cabin had been kicked in and the home gone through.  Items stolen included antique or rare coins and an 1888 Cambridge bible.  

     On March 9th, Baxter County Investigators were contacted by the Ozark County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office asking if there were any reports of thefts of coins in this area, as some had been seized during a separate arrest.  The next day, Sheriff’s Lieutenant Terry Johnson travelled to Ozark County to interview a suspect being held there on other charges.  This person identified another person who had been in possession of the coins and bible on March 6th, who paid him with the coins for an outstanding obligation.  This second person, who lives in Henderson, was contacted by Sheriff’s Investigators.  He stated he had pawned some of the coins on March 5th at a pawn shop in Mountain Home on behalf of a third person, who he identified by name. 

     This third person, identified as MATTHEW GAUGER, was interviewed.  GAUGER initially denied involvement in the burglary and theft, but after being confronted with the evidence against him, he admitted his guilt.  At least some of the coins have been recovered, as has the Cambridge bible.

     MATTHEW EDWARD GAUGER was arrested and has been incarcerated in the Detention Center since March 10th on charges of:

Residential Burglary – Felony
Theft of Property – Felony

     He is being held in lieu of $25,000 bond and will appear in Circuit Court to answer on March 17th.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff