Charleston man charged with assault, theft

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Charleston man is in the Mississippi County Detention Center after a felony stealing investigation by the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department.

Javion D. Williams, 18, is charged with first-degree assault and two counts of felony stealing.

The investigation began Oct. 24 when the owner of a welding business on Highway 105 reported machinery was stolen from the property, according to a new release from Sheriff Keith Moore.

Deputies began their investigation by advising several local recycling centers of the theft.

On Oct. 25, the welding company's owner reported to the sheriff's department the suspect had returned to allegedly steal additional items. The business owner then attempted to make contact with the suspect, later identified as Williams.

Williams allegedly responded by attempting to strike the property owner with his vehicle before fleeing the scene.

The vehicle was located at a Charleston home shortly afterward but "no further information could be obtained with the closed business," according to the report by deputy Marc Tragesser.

The following morning, the victim contacted the sheriff's department to advise he had located the stolen property at two recycling centers in the Sikeston, Mo., area.

Tragesser visited both companies to obtain records related to the transactions and from those records identified the suspect as Williams.

Williams was arrested later that day at a home in Charleston.

"Property owners have a right to confront thieves on their property, but doing so may put both parties at risk," Moore said. "The safest route is to contact law enforcement and let us make that initial contact."

One alternative, according to Moore, is for witnesses to document the suspect's description and the vehicle's license plate number, then turn the information over to law enforcement.

Williams was held in the Mississippi County Detention Center with a cash or surety bond set at $50,000.

Pertinent address:

Charleston, Mo.

Sikeston, Mo.