Dowling admits to taking, selling firearms
A Sallisaw resident is facing felony charges of grand larceny and abuse by caretaker after he reportedly took two firearms from a residence and then sold them without the owner’s consent.
A Sallisaw resident is facing felony charges of grand larceny and abuse by caretaker after he reportedly took two firearms from a residence and then sold them without the owner’s consent.
Thomas N. Dowling, 45, was formally charged on Feb. 21 in Sequoyah County District Court and received a $10,000 bond. He is now scheduled for a March 8 arraignment before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters.
Sallisaw Police officer Nick Stock said on Feb. 8 he was dispatched to a residence on W. Chickasaw Ave. in reference to stolen firearms where he spoke with the reporting party.
The reporting party said she was letting two subjects, identified as Thomas and Tina, stay in her home for a few weeks, and had discovered two guns were allegedly missing or stolen about five days prior.
The reporting party said when she confronted Dowling about the missing guns, he told her not to call law enforcement because he might be able to find them, according to the probable cause affidavit. The reporting party said Dowling was able to retrieve a missing revolver a few days later.
While speaking with the reporting party, the two subjects walked into the residence and identified themselves as Dowling and Tina Williams, 40. When Dowling was asked about the missing firearms, he told authorities he was able to locate one quickly because he’d asked several people about it, according to the affidavit.
Dowling later reportedly admitted to stealing the firearms from the reporting party, selling one of them for $250 because he owed someone money, but was going to buy it back once he received his check. He claimed once the reporting party noticed the firearms were missing, he borrowed money to buy the firearm back from whom he’d sold it to.
He said one of the firearms was also loaned to another individual to get rid of coyotes but he’d get it back and return it to the reporting party, according to the affidavit.
District Attorney Jack Thorp said grand larceny is punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for a term of not more than two years, in the county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or both fine and imprisonment, and restitution; while abuse by caretaker is punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both.
