Versailles, In. — A Madison man has been convicted of committing a burglary with a deadly weapon and will be sentenced on January 10, 2019. Christian Stewart, 23, could receive up to 40 years behind bars.
Court documents show Stewart, his younger brother Cameron and girlfriend Kelsey Luellen committed at least two burglaries in the Cross Plains area last year. Both have already been convicted of burglary.
The investigation began when Ripley County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant, Randy Holt responded to a call placed by one of the victim’s neighbors that a cabin had been broken into and a tractor had been destroyed. Upon arrival, Christian Stewart was located in the area where the neighbors had found him possessing a loaded handgun. While at the scene and after learning that there were potentially more individuals involved in the burglary, Lieutenant Holt responded to a vehicle stuck in a field within approximately a half mile of the burglarized cabin. At the truck, Holt located Stewart’s girlfriend, Kelsey Luellen, along with items taken from the cabin, multiple facemasks and bandanas, and multiple pairs of gloves. Shortly thereafter, officers observed a third individual, later identified as Stewart’s brother, Cameron Stewart, located in a house approximately three-quarters of a mile from the first burglary. After officers had the house surrounded, the individual attempted to flee from the house but was quickly apprehended by officers where he also had a loaded handgun in his possession.
At both scenes, the burglars were extremely destructive. Both of the burglary scenes included a kicked-in door and broken windows so that they could enter and exit the buildings. While in the buildings, the burglars turned over and broke furniture, pulled items off the wall, removed drawers from dressers and cabinets, and left the buildings completely ransacked.
Prosecutor Ric Hertel said, “These defendants placed many lives in danger that day. We’re very happy with the jury’s finding of guilt on all counts.”
