Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jester charged with robbery of Hot Springs couple

Russell Lee "Rusty" Jester, 34, 286 Lone Pine Road, is one of two men charged in Clark County Circuit Court with the robbery of a Hot Springs couple on May 22.

According to information on file with the circuit clerk's office, Jester and Chris Threadgill of Hot Springs were each charged with robbery and burglary.

The affidavit in the court case is files by Wesley A. Sossamon, chief deputy sheriff with the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Sossamon's report indicates that a Hot Springs couple were at property they leased off East Whelen Road for a camp. The couple told Sossamon that a vehicle had apparently trespassed onto their property and they were videotaping the tire tracks left at their camp. In following the tracks, they arrived at a nearby camp. They continued to videotape until several all terrain vehicles approached them.

The couple reported that they were acquainted with Threadgill and he asked them what they were doing. According to the court records, they told the men they were videotaping wildlife, but the men began "antagonizing them, telling them to get out of their vehicle, and threatening ..."

The couple drove from the area, stopped briefly at their own camp and headed back toward Gurdon. When they reached East Whelen Road, a four-wheeler began following the vehicle. Then the couple met a white Ford Ranger pickup that they said "tried to hit us head on." The truck then turned around and also began following the couple, according to their statements to Sossamon.

After the truck passed the couple, they pulled into a privade drive and the man went to the residence to request help, the affidavit states.

The pickup backed up and pulled into the drive, and the woman, who was still in the couple's vehicle, said one of the men was yelling, "This is Rusty, don't let him in."

While the man was standing at the doorway, the men got out of the pickup, went to the house and began physically assaulting the man. The man "stated that one of the men had him in a headlock and was striking him about the head and face with fists. (The victim) said that he was forced into the interior area of the residence and that at some point, the other of the two men came into the residence and kicked him in the eye. (The vicitm) stated that after the second man joined the physical assault and kicked him in the face, he became fearful that they were going to cause him serious physical injury or kill him ..." The victim then attempted to pull a .22-caliber revolved from the pocket of his pants. A scuffle over the gun ensued but there were reportedly no shots fired.

The female victim told Sossamon that she grabbed the video camera and went into the residence, "videotaping the assault while screaming, Help us. Call nine-one-one.'" The female victim was directed to a phone and she called the police, according to the affidavit.

The men's attention then reportedly turned to the female victim and the camera. One of the men, "physically grabbed her and began trying to take the camera away from her. (The female victim) stated, he drug me all the way back outside into the grass and was trying to take the camera away from me. I went down to the ground and I was lying on my stomach and the camera was underneath me. He kicked me in the side at that time."

The men accused of assaulting the couple then left the scene, taking the camera with them.

Sossamon's statement goes on to describe the injuries and condition of the victims. According to the statement, the injuries, grass stains on the female victim's clothing and condition of the injuries were consistent with the victim's stories.

The person who lived at the house where the majority of the incident occurred told Sossamon that a man arrived at the house the next morning. The resident, referred to in Sossamon's report only as "the witness," was unable to identify any of the people involved. The morning after the incident, this witness reported to the Clark County Sheriff's Office that a man had brought the video camera to the house where the assault reportedly occurred. The man said he found the camera "out by the road."

Sossamon stated that the camera did not have a battery, but when a battery was installed, the camera worked. Sossamon reportedly reviewed the tape. A narrative of the tape includes some scenes described by the victims, including "a light colored pickup truck goes past the (victim's) vehicle in the opposite direction. The videotape shows the pickup truck sliding sideways in the road and turning around..."

CC Deputy David Turner responded at the time of the incident. According to Sossamon's statement, Turner talked to Threadgill on the night of the incident. Treadgill alleged that the members had voted the victims out of the club and that the "camp was involved in an ongoing dispute with the (victims) about trespassing on leased property." Threadgill reportedly told Turner that "he was tired of it," and "wanted to get it over with." Threadgill denied following the victims and is quoted as saying he "never left the camp" after the victims left.

The victims were asked to identify Jester in a photographic lineups on two separate occasions. The first time, two days after the incident, the male victim did not identify Jester. The female said he "looked familiar." According to Sossamon's affidavit, another photographic lineup was set four days after the incident. The male victim "stated that the photographs of Jester and another person, known to have had no involvement in the incident, looked familiar, but that he could not recall if he had actually ever seen either of them or under what circumstances."

The female victim identified Jester as the man who had taken her camera. Asked "if she was positive that the person depicted in the photograph was her attacker, she replied, I'm 90 percent sure. He was a little more scruffy that night..."

Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan, in a conference phone call, asked the jailer at the Clark County Jail about the status of Jester. He has been arrested and released on bond. Threadgill has not been arrested.

Each robbery and burglary charge is a Class B Felony and carries possible prison sentences from 5 to 20 years and a fine of up to $15,000.

Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan, in a conference phone call, asked the jailer at the Clark County Jail about the status of Jester. Clark County Sheriff Troy Tucker later confirmed that Jester has been arrested and released on bond. Threadgill has not been arrested.

Each robbery and burglary charge is a Class B Felony and carries possible prison sentences from 5 to 20 years and a fine of up to $15,000.