Tamassee Man arrested on Multiple Charges

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested of a man from the Tamassee area on multiple charges, including burglary and larceny.  Two of the locations where the reported burglaries and larcenies took place involve Oconee County churches, explains Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jimmy Watt.  “31-year-old Jonathan Allen Finney of 436 Maple Circle in Tamassee was arrested on August 28^th.  A total of 14 arrest warrants have been issued by investigators against Finney on charges which include 3 counts of first-degree burglary, 3 counts of grand larceny, 4 counts of second-degree burglary, 3 counts of petty larceny, and safecracking.  According to warrants, the incidents occurred at various times during the months of June, July, and August, and investigators say that the burglaries occurred in an area that stretched from Tamassee to the Fairview community to the Return Church community.  The victims included Return Baptist Church and Fairview Southern Methodist Church. According to warrants, Finney broke into a dwelling at 131 Whitewater Farm Road in Tamassee twice, once between June 7^th and June 18^th of this year, in which Finney is accused of stealing a firearm, jewelry and other property and “while entering, inside or upon immediate flight was armed with a deadly weapon.”  Finney is also accused of breaking into the same dwelling on Whitewater Farm Road again on July 29^th, stealing firearms, jewelry and other property, once again armed with a deadly weapon.  Finney is also accused according to warrants of breaking into two separate residences on McMahan Road in the West Union area.  The first occurrence happened at 158 McMahan Road on July 28^th, where Finney is accused of stealing jewelry, money, medication, and other items.  Finney also breaking into a home at 207 McMahan Road sometime between August 3^rd and August 10th, where he carried away a firearm and other items and once again was armed. Finney, according to warrants, also broke into two locations on Return Church Road in Seneca.  One of those locations was Return Baptist Church at 733 Return Church Road sometime between August 18^th and August 19^th, where Finney took $425.00 in cash belonging to the church.  The second location that Finney is accused of breaking into was a residence on Return Church Road.  The break-ins at Fairview Southern Methodist Church at 331 Ebenezer Road in the West Union occurred sometime between August 4^th and August 11^th.  Finney reportedly, according to warrants, stole less than $2,000 from the church while also breaking into the safe at the church. Investigators have recovered jewelry and guns that were stolen in the burglaries. Finney remains at the Oconee County Detention Center, as no bond has been set on the three first-degree burglary charges.  On the four second-degree burglary charges, the combined surety bond amount is $52,000.  On the three charges of grand larceny, the combined surety bond amount is $40,000.  On the three charges of petty larceny, the combined surety bond amount is $14,000.  On the charge of safecracking, the surety bond amount is $10,000.” The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation.