Rocky Dewayne O’Connell

KOSCIUSKO — A Fort Wayne man is facing felony charges for his alleged involvement with a burglary that occurred in Kosciusko County. 

Rocky Dewayne O’Connell, 34, 3626 Stellhorn Road, Fort Wayne, is being charged with burglary, a level 4 felony; theft, a level 6 felony; fraud on a financial institution, a level 5 felony; forgery, a level 6 felony; theft, a level 4 felony; and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a level 6 felony. 

Two other individuals were allegedly involved in the burglary. Thomas Bradley Maxwell Jr., 47, 1023 Lancaster Drive, South Bend, was arrested on Jan. 15 and charged with burglary, a level 4 felony, and theft, a level 6 felony.

Heather Dalton, Fort Wayne, is wanted on a warrant for burglary, a level 4 felony, and theft, a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Nov. 25, officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary call. The homeowner advised that sometime in November unknown subjects had entered his residence and stolen a flatscreen television, clothing, jewelry, a DVD player, a cable box and a Pioneer receiver. The items were valued at over $750.

Earlier that month, on Nov. 11, officers responded to a stolen vehicle call in which the owner of the vehicle, Maxwell, was battered. Maxwell advised that on Nov. 11, O’Connell battered him. The officer observed a bruise to Maxwell’s right eye, an injury to the right side of his head and blood on his sweatshirt. Maxwell further advised that O’Connell stole his Chevy Tahoe and told police that his wallet and other identifying information were in the stolen vehicle.

On Nov. 14, Maxwell contacted officers again to report that $500 had been stolen from his bank account. Maxwell told police he suspected that O’Connell stole the money using Maxwell’s identifying information located inside the stolen vehicle.

Maxwell further admitted to officers that he, O’Connell and Dalton had broken into the burglarized residence. According to Maxwell, after they entered the residence, O’Connell took a television off the wall and got into an argument with him, causing his injuries.

The officer then spoke with Dalton, who admitted that Maxwell and O’Connell had picked her up in a truck which already contained a television and other electronic items. They then drove to a residence, where Maxwell and ‘Connell began fighting.

The officer discovered that Maxwell had pawned the stolen Pioneer receiver at Worldwide Pawn in Goshen. The item matched what was stolen from the burglarized residence and the receipts contained a fingerprint. The officer was able to determine that the fingerprint actually belonged to O’Connell.

Surveillance video was obtained from the bank and showed that O’Connell was the subject who removed the $500 from Maxwell’s bank account. O’Connell filled out the withdraw slip with Maxwell’s information.

On Nov. 17, an officer with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle identified himself as Maxwell and provided the officer with Maxwell’s Indiana ID card. Through video, officers were able to determine that the subject pulled over in the traffic stop was actually O’Connell using Maxwell’s ID.

The officers located the other stolen items from the burglary.

O’Connell was booked at the Kosciusko County Jail Tuesday, March 12, on a $33,000 surety and cash bond.