A suspect in the December robbery of a Blue Springs gun shop is in custody.
Joshua Wade Ray, 20, 1439 Riverview Drive, was arrested on warrants charging him with two counts of theft over $1,000 and aggravated burglary.
On Dec. 1, 49 firearms, 56 boxes of ammunition and $1,000 in cash were reported stolen from the Blue Springs Gun Shop while the owners were at church. On Dec. 16, the Carter County Sheriff’s Department listed Ray, then 19 years old, and an unnamed 17-year-old as the main suspects in the case.
According to the warrant for Ray’s arrest, CCSD undercover officers were able to buy one of the missing weapons from Ray and another individual on Dec. 10, and then on Dec. 12 they were able to buy six more of the stolen weapons.
According to the warrant, officers conducted a traffic stop after the Dec. 12 sale. During the stop, Ray and the other person were arrested, and according to the warrant, both confessed to the burglary. The warrant also said Ray took officers to a storage unit where he turned over the additional firearms.
A true bill indictment was issued for Ray on May 5, and on May 27 a capias was issued for Ray on the charges of aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000.
On Sunday, the CCSD was attempting to arrest Ray and called on the Elizabethton Police Department K9 team of Cpl. Sarah Ellison and K9 officer Kero to help track Ray.
Ellison and Kero responded to Cecil VanHuss Road to help with the search. Ellison wrote in a report that Kero tracked Ray through the woods and along a creek until reaching a dirt roadway through the woods. She wrote that Kero picked up the scent again on the other side of the road and found an area near a downed tree where it appeared Ray had attempted to conceal himself, but Ray was not spotted in the area.
Ellison said Kero started showing signs of heat stress and was taken back to the patrol vehicle for water and rest. After resting, Kero was taken back out and returned to the downed tree that had been previously searched. The K9 search was discontinued because of the length of time already expended and the heat danger to the K9 officer.
Ray was taken into custody Monday morning at the Carter County Detention Center and arrested on the warrants.S