Stolen motorcycle leads to felony charge for Vian man

A Vian man is facing a felony charge of larceny of automobile, aircraft or other motor vehicle after he reportedly sold a Harley Davidson motorcycle to a Webbers Falls man last year and then took it from him while he was gaming at Cherokee Casino in Roland last month.

Johnnie Carroll, 56, was charged June 12 in Sequoyah County District Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest the same day. He received a $15,000 bond and is now set to appear for a June 21 arraignment before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters.

Roland Police Officer Richard Seabolt reported on May 29 he was dispatched to Cherokee Casino to take a report on a stolen motorcycle. The reporting party said when he went outside to the south parking lot, he discovered his 2005 Harley Davidson was missing.

The victim said he’d purchased the motorcycle from Carroll and believed he may have something to do with its disappearance, according to the probable cause affidavit in the case. He alleged when he purchased the Harley he was told there were two sets of keys but when the deal was finalized, Carroll only gave him one key.

The reporting party said a friend of Carroll’s was also allegedly following him around inside the casino, which made him suspicious and led him to go check on the motorcycle.

The motorcycle was described as a Harley Davidson Fat Boy with a front blue-tinted windshield with an eagle in the middle. The motorcycle also had a USA sticker on the left side and an American flag on the right side, and the front fender had a silver engraved tip with an eagle and the Harley Davidson logo.

Seabolt reviewed surveillance video from the casino, which reportedly showed the reporting party parking the motorcycle and a few hours later, a gold Ford Explorer arriving and pulling straight up to it. A man wearing a cap, T-shirt and jeans is then shown getting out of the vehicle with what appeared to be a key fob, where he places it over the ignition and starts the motorcycle.

An unknown passenger can be seen climbing over the center console and driving the Explorer off the property behind the man, who the reporting party identified as Carroll.

When the officer ran the tag information for the owner of the motorcycle it showed to be Carroll, but there was a notice of transfer which stated the bike was purchased by the reporting party on Oct. 24, 2022, according to the affidavit. Seabolt informed the victim he would not be able to enter the motorcycle as stolen into NCIC until he had the title and bill of sale in hand.

The victim brought the needed documentation to the police department on May 30 that showed he’d purchased the bike from Carroll on Nov. 7, 2022, which was signed by the alleged suspect, Carroll. The motorcycle was then entered as stolen.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said the crime is punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not exceeding five years or by a fine in an amount that is equal to three times the value of the property, or both imprisonment and fine, and restitution.