Man arrested in connection to stolen vehicle from Logan Stampings

Hallie Gallinat, Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Ind.
·2 min read

Mar. 8—A stolen Cushman Truckster was recovered to Logan Stampings after being found on Facebook Marketplace. A 41-year-old Logansport man is currently incarcerated in connection with the stolen vehicle.

According to a press release, the Cushman Truckster was stolen in May of 2023. On March 1, Deputy Marshal Matt Heflin with the Walton Police Department was contacted by Duane Sailors of Logan Stampings. He informed Heflin that he had found the stolen vehicle on Facebook Marketplace.

Heflin then located the profile and began an investigation to locate it, and a search warrant was obtained for a residence in Galveston. While conducting the search, he was informed that the Truckster had been sold to a person in Kokomo.

Upon visiting with the buyer, he said he purchased it not knowing it was stolen, and the vehicle was recovered and returned to Logan Stampings with the assistance of Johnson's Towing & Recovery. The money for the sale was also recovered, the press release says.

"{span}I was thrilled to recover the stolen property from Logan Stampings. Duane [Sailers] has been very cooperative with law enforcement," Heflin wrote in an email. "I am thankful for the assistance from Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tom Lupke of the Cass County Prosecutor's Office for assisting with a search warrant which ultimately lead to the recovery of the Cushman. Stolen property can be difficult to recover and time consuming, but a little elbow grease goes a long way."{/span}

The investigation comes from the arrest of 41-year-old Jose Chocon, who Heflin located while driving through Walton on the night of Aug. 17. Chocon was found with a truckload of stainless steal and copper that totaled to over $35,000, and law enforcement found that he was a former employee with Logan Stampings. He had burglarized the business 30 minutes before being located in Walton.

Following being arrested in Walton, Chocon was charged with Burglary, a Level 5 Felony. He is currently incarcerated at the Cass County Jail awaiting trial for the charges of Burglary and Theft, a Level 6 Felony, according to the press release.

Heflin was assisted by the Cass County Sheriff's Department and the Logansport Police Department. All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.