Two men charged with burglary of Floyd County farm buildings, also face previous charges

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man who is awaiting trial on a drug charge and a former Charles City man who is facing several other charges and who was on probation after pleading guilty to theft and burglary charges in area counties, have both been arrested and charged with burglary at two Floyd County farms.

Robert Patrick Frazer, age 25, of Charles City, and Michael Dylan Jones, age 23, formerly of Charles City but now listing his address as New Hampton, were charged Friday, Jan. 15, with two counts each of third-degree burglary, Class D felonies, and one count each of criminal mischief, serious misdemeanors.

The two are accused in papers filed in Floyd County District Court of entering a farm building in the 2200 block of Walnut Avenue in Floyd County on Friday at about 8 a.m. with the alleged intent of stealing items from the building.

The criminal complaints say the men were caught in the act and tried to escape arrest, with Frazer allegedly kicking in the door of a locked barn in the 2200 block of Villa Lane and the two men entering the barn in an an attempt to elude law enforcement. The damage to the barn door was more than $300, the report states.

The two farms are both southeast of Charles City and less than a quarter mile from each other.

Frazer is one of at least eight people charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine after police searched a house in the 700 block of 10th Avenue in Charles City on Oct. 25, 2020.

Frazer pleaded not guilty to that Class B felony charge and was released under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections. Trials for the defendants in those related drug cases are being set for March 2.

Jones is facing a charge of 3rd degree sexual abuse in Cerro Gordo County. He is accused of committing a sex act with a 15-year-old victim in November. Authorities say Jones knew the age of his victim before committing the act.

Jones pleaded not guilty and a trial has been set to start in that case on April 6.

He is also facing a charge of third-degree burglary in Chickasaw County court, for allegedly breaking into the Hide-a-Way Bar in Ionia on the evening of Aug. 19, 2020, and allegedly stealing a safe from that business that contained $1,500 to $2,000 in cash. He was arrested on a warrant for that charge on Dec. 14, 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge, but trial has not been set yet.

Jones was already on probation for three to five years after pleading guilty in Bremer County to felony convictions for breaking into Farmers Win Co-Op in Waverly on May 23, 2020, and stealing a safe containing $2,858 in cash and checks. The safe was later found dumped in the Cedar River.

Jones also pleaded guilty in Butler County to breaking into the Farmers Co-Op in Shell Rock on May 25, 2020. Law enforcement says burglar’s tools, stolen checks and stolen cash were found in Jones’ home.

Jones pleaded guilty to 2nd degree theft and 3rd degree burglary in Bremer County and two counts of 3rd degree burglary in Butler County. He was given suspended jail sentences of up to five years and probation in each county, and ordered to pay restitution.