Armed man facing charges after being taken into custody

AMERICAN FALLS — Police searched for an equipped and suicidal man past week, recovered him, took him into custody, and now he’s facing criminal charges.

Ronald Lewis Lee Jr., 41, was booked into nan Power County Jail connected Thursday. He has been charged pinch felonies including unlawful possession of a firearm and 2 counts of burglary and expansive theft, according to a news merchandise from nan American Falls Police Department. 

RELATED | Police find equipped suicidal man, who is safe

Tuesday, June 4

On Tuesday astatine 10:30 a.m., Lee was seen leaving his relatives location connected nan 500 artifact of Fillmore Avenue. The family reported location was a missing firearm and handgun, constabulary said. 

Around nan aforesaid time, a residential burglary happened connected nan 400 artifact of West Park Street. Property was reportedly taken from wrong nan home, and a 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche was stolen from nan detached garage. 

The stolen conveyance was listed successful nan National Crime Information Center and rule enforcement agencies were made alert of it. 

Police were called to nan 200 artifact of Monroe Street for a family disturbance involving Lee aft 12:15 p.m. Before constabulary arrived, Lee had near nan area successful a reddish 2009 Mercedes Benz, a news merchandise said. This was initially reported to constabulary and EastIdahoNews.com antecedently reported connected it.

Around 1:45 p.m., nan Power County Sheriff’s Office recovered Lee’s conveyance abandoned successful a workplace section astatine 2030 Frontage Road successful American Falls.

Lee was past seen wearing a achromatic t-shirt, bluish jeans and a achromatic constabulary style ballistic vest. He was armed.

“Police judge earlier nan first incident connected Monroe Street, Lee committed nan burglary and stole nan Avalanche conveyance and staged nan stolen conveyance astatine nan location wherever he ended up ditching his reddish Mercedes. And aft ditching nan reddish Mercedes, he near successful nan stolen vehicle. At that time, it hadn’t been reported to police,” Chief Brandon Wilkinson told EastIdahoNews.com.

Surveillance video from a Pocatello business showed Lee driving nan stolen Avalanche aft 2 p.m.

At 11:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to Jackson’s Convenience Store connected 356 Lincoln Street, according to nan release. 

Witnesses told rule enforcement they saw Lee stepping down nan thoroughfare earlier he went wrong nan shop to nan restroom. Employees reported nan restroom doorway was locked and they could perceive “something inside,” nan merchandise said. 

Officers sewage labor and customers retired of nan store. With assistance from nan Power County Sheriff’s Office and nan Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, constabulary were capable to clear nan bath but recovered nary 1 inside. 

Store information cameras were reviewed, and Lee was “never wrong nan store,” constabulary said.

Thursday, June 6 

On Thursday, astatine 9:45 a.m., nan stolen conveyance and missing firearms were recovered successful American Falls by rule enforcement.

After 10:45 a.m., Lee showed up astatine nan Power County Sheriff’s Office “agitated and upset.” Lee was yelling that he wanted his spot backmost from rule enforcement, constabulary said.

American Falls constabulary officers and Power County deputies took Lee into custody.

EastIdahoNews.com asked Police Chief Wilkinson if Lee is nether a watch since he was considered suicidal. He said yes and nan jailhouse has a protocol for suicidal inmates.