Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

More charges filed in burglaries

Two additional persons have been charged in connection with the burglaries of area deer camps in August.

According to records on file in the Clark County Circuit Clerks office, Jill E. McClure, 36, of 1374 Highway 53 North, Gurdon, has been charged with one count of breaking and entering, a class D felony. Eric L. McCuistion, 21, of 307 S. Goza St., Donaldson, has been charged with seven counts of residential burglary, a class B felony, and one count of theft by receiving, a class C felony.

Court records indicate that McClure told police during an interview in December that she and others had entered a camp on the Ouachita River without knowing who owned the camp. She said that the group had been floating the river when it became dark. The large group split into smaller groups on the river bank. McClure told police that she and those with her climbed the bank after seeing a light on at the top. Once at the top, they group allegedly entered the camp and someone handed her a beer which she consumed.

The affidavit filed with the charges says McClure admitted to being intoxicated when the event took place.

The charges against McClure were filed on Dec. 19.

McCuistion was also questioned by investigators in December. According to an affidavit on file, McCuistion told police that he and two others had gone hog hunting in the Open Banks Road area in August. While riding around on four wheelers, he said the group came upon a camp made up of multiple trailers. The affidavit states that this fits the description of the Hasley Deer Camp which had been burglarized.

Court records state that McCuistion told police that once at the camp, the three began to break into the buildings. McCuistion stated that each boy went their own way rummaging through the camp. He denied cutting any locks off of doors to gain entry.

McCuistion said he knew what they did was wrong, and that he felt bad for doing something so stupid, the affidavit states.

McCuistion also said that he made a phone call for one of the other boys to a friend in an effort to sell a revolver that had been stolen by the other boy from a camp earlier in the day. He said that he was offered proceeds from the sale, but he declined the money.

The charges against McCuistion were filed on Dec. 7, and the bench warrant was served on Dec. 19. He has since posted bond and has been released from jail.