A jury trial began Monday for one of two Kansas City area men facing multiple charges for allegedly trying to steal from Jefferson City businesses damaged in the May 22 tornado.
Adam Brandt, 39, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, possession of burglary tools, two counts of receiving stolen property and one count of possession of a controlled substance.
Bradley Hedrick, 39, is facing similar charges in this case and his next court date is scheduled for January.
Cole County Judge Jon Beetem is presiding over Brandt's trial. During opening arguments Monday, Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson laid out the specifics of the case.
Hedrick and Brandt were in the 1700 block of Four Seasons Drive on May 24 and found by the property owner rummaging through property on the lot, which had storm damage, according to Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statements.
A witness told police they had told the two men to leave the property. Police later spotted the men in the 300 block of Flora Drive riding motorcycles. One of the men told officers they had come from Kansas City to look at the destruction. One of the motorcycles didn't have license plates. Neither man claimed to own the motorcycles.
Both men were taken into custody, and officers found both motorcycles had been stolen out of Kansas City.
Officers searched the motorcycles and reportedly found several illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia. They also reported finding two stolen handguns along with numerous screw drivers, wrenches and bolt cutters.
Brandt's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Adam Cartwright, told the jury Brandt has worked as a union carpenter for the last 17 years and at the time of the tornado he was working for a construction company in Kansas City. Cartwright said Brandt and Hedrick had come to Jefferson City looking for work. Cartwright said Brandt believed Hedrick's father lived in Jefferson City and needed his roof replaced.
When they got into town they were dropped off in the area where police claimed the crime had occurred, but Cartwright said Brandt was unfamiliar with the area and never had any interaction with the property owner. Cartwright said that when the police arrived Brandt cooperated with police and told them he was in town looking for work. Cartwright also said Brandt had not ridden a motorcycle since he rode a dirt bike as a child. Cartwright added there was nothing that linked his client to the motorcycles or to the drugs and handguns found in them.