Seven arrested in connection with thefts from vehicles; stolen firearm recovered

Tuesday, Feb. 19 | By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

By Crystal Owens
Times-Democrat Staff Writer

Loudoun County Sheriff's deputies arrested seven people connected to a rash of Feb. 5 vehicle break-ins in Ashburn.

In one of the break-ins, a firearm was stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

Deputies on Feb. 5 arrested Tommy V. Tran, 18, of Ashburn, Stephen M. McCullough, 19, of North Carolina, and Christian A. Mullins, 20, of Winchester.
The three were caught when deputies responded to a 1:30 a.m. call Feb. 5 from a resident who reported seeing several people attempting to break into vehicles in the the area of Marsh Creek Drive and Riverstone Court.

Tran was charged with grand larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny with intent to sell a firearm. McCullough and Mullins were charged with conspiracy to commit larceny with intent to sell-distribute a firearm. Tran remains held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. Mullins and McCullough were released on a $5,000 secured bond.

Deputies were able to piece together the remainder of the case after a stolen firearm was recovered Feb. 7 during a search warrant execution at a home in the 43200 block of Rush Run Terrace in Ashburn.

During the investigation, three additional individuals were identified as suspects and taken into custody.

The investigation into the Feb. 5 thefts led to information about the location of a stolen firearm from an unlocked vehicle on Feb. 7 in area of Cameron Hunt Place, according to Liz Mills, spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

After executing a search warrant at a home on Rush Run Terrace Feb. 7, deputies charged Jesse M. Williams, 18, a resident of the Ashburn home, with receiving a stolen firearm and removing/altering a serial number on a firearm. He was released on a $7,500 bond.

Lucas Q. Battles, 18, of Ashburn, and Adrienne H. Sherman, 19, were both charged with larceny with intent to sell-distribute a firearm on Feb. 13. Battles remains held without bond. Sherman was released on a $2,500 secured bond. The third person, Hilary A. Garthwaite, 20, of Winchester, was located by authorities in West Virginia on Feb. 14. She is charged with larceny with intent to sell-distribute a firearm and is being held at the Eastern Regional Jail on a $35,000 bond.

“This case is a great example of community involvement and good old fashioned police work,” Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said in a prepared statement. “It is important for residents to be engaged, they are the eyes and ears in the community and can be instrumental in helping us solve crimes."

In light of how deputies were able to catch the seven individuals, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents to report suspicious activity to (703) 777-1021 or dial 911 in an emergency.

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