OC Sheriff’s Office arrests Westminster Man on Multiple Charges

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Westminster man yesterday on multiple charges, including one count of grand larceny. 25-year-old Joshua Michael Poole of Cooke Drive was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 2pm. Poole has also been charged with one count of burglary in the second degree and one count of safecracking. Poole was taken into custody in Pickens County and was transported to the Pickens-Oconee county line, where custody was transferred to a deputy from the Warrants Division of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office began its investigation on Aug. 31, after a deputy from the Uniform Patrol Division responded to an address on Little Country Lane near Westminster in regards to reports of a burglary. The deputy discovered where entry was made into the residence whereupon it was discovered that items were missing, among them electronics items and a safe. The scene was processed for evidence and the case was turned over to the Criminal Investigations Division. As the investigation continued and evidence was gathered in the case, investigators had probable cause to file charges against Poole as a result of its investigation. As of noon today, Poole remains in custody at the Oconee County Detention Center on a combined $35,000 surety bond. Poole is the second person charged in the investigation. Back on Sept. 27, 23-year-old William Grove Bearden of the same Cooke Drive address was arrested by the Westminster Police Department. Bearden was charged with one count each of burglary in the second degree, grand larceny and safecracking in regards to the investigation by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office related to the Aug. 31, burglary. Bearden was also charged by the Sheriff’s Office yesterday on one count of possession of a stolen vehicle in regards to a separate investigation. Bearden remains in custody as of noon today on a combined $64,500 surety bond on four Oconee County Sheriff’s Office charges and three charges from the Westminster Police Department.