Jayson N. George-Santoro

     One adult and one juvenile were arrested Monday afternoon, October 21st, on a multitude of charges following an investigation into a break-in and the theft of a vehicle and other items of property, which later resulted in a short vehicle pursuit. 

     At approximately 9:59 AM Monday, the Sheriff's Office received a report from a man residing on Water Plant Road in the rural Mountain Home area that his residence had been broken into and numerous items stolen.  These included a Marlin 30-30 rifle, 12 knives, a small safe, personal papers, prescription medication, and $3,500 in cash.  Also stolen was a 2007 Ford F-150 pickup truck. The victim had left for work around 4:00 AM.  He later returned home about 9:45 AM and found that his juvenile son was missing from the home along with some of the juvenile's personal belongings, and that he believed his son was responsible for the thefts. 

     All on-duty officers were alerted to watch for the stolen vehicle.  Monday afternoon, the Sheriff's Office received reports that the juvenile suspect and an adult male were in the stolen vehicle near the Izard County/Baxter County line on back roads near Iuka.  At approximately 2:30 PM, Sheriff's Corporal Michael Holland encountered the stolen vehicle on State Highway 5 South in Baxter County near the Izard County line.  Corporal Holland attempted to initiate a vehicle stop, but the driver of the stolen vehicle fled a short distance before running off the road and wrecking out near Wild Fern Lane.  Two male occupants of the vehicle quickly exited and then fled on foot. 

     Corporal Holland apprehended one of the suspects, found to be the 16 year old juvenile suspect, while the other man continued fleeing.  Sheriff's Sergeant Brian Davis spotted this other man running a short distance away into a wooded area.   The canine tracking team from the Arkansas Department of Corrections - North Central Unit was requested to come to the scene.  After a brief 10 minute search, the canine tracking team located the other suspect and took him into custody.  He was identified as 19 year old JAYSON N. GEORGE-SANTORO, and he was identified as the driver. 

     During a search of the vehicle, deputies found some of the stolen property, including a quantity of cash, the missing knives, and marijuana.  The safe and firearm that had been stolen were not in the vehicle.  The suspects told deputies that those items had been dropped off at a residence in Salesville, and deputies recovered them at that residence.  The safe had been broken into and destroyed. 

     JAYSON N. GEORGE-SANTORO was taken to the Baxter County Detention Center and incarcerated on charges of:

Breaking or Entering - Felony
Theft of Property (2 counts) - Felonies
Fleeing by Vehicle - Felony
Tampering with Evidence - Felony
Possession Schedule II Controlled Substance - Felony
Possession Schedule VI Controlled Substance - Misdemeanor
Fleeing on Foot - Misdemeanor
Possession of Firearms by Certain Persons (convicted felon) - Felony

     SANTORO has a bond of $20,000 and will appear before the Circuit Court to answer on October 24th.  The Arkansas State Police worked the motor vehicle accident and have charged SANTORO with Driving While Intoxicated and other traffic offenses as well.

     The 16 year old juvenile faces the same criminal charges, with the exception of the firearms charge, and was turned over to Baxter County Juvenile Services.

     The Norfork Police Department also assisted with the incident.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff