Published: September 20, 2007 10:59 am      

Leader of theft ring has long history

Weddle, sister could spend rest of lives in jail

The New Albany man accused of leading a burglary ring throughout Indiana and Kentucky was convicted of 24 similar charges, the first dating back to 1988, in seven localities before being declared as a habitual offender by Floyd County prosecutors Tuesday, court records show.

Gerald Weddle, 40, along with his sister Cinthia Long and his girlfriend Tana Leasor, were charged in connection with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of horse saddles, jewelry and household electronics from more than 100 Indiana and Kentucky homes.

Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson — along with officials from affected localities and federal agents — spent months gathering evidence to link Weddle and his associates to the crimes, Henderson said.

The items were allegedly pawned and sold to provide money for drugs. Multiple charges are expected against Weddle, Long and Leasor in a 200-mile area stretching through Indiana and Kentucky, Henderson said.

Weddle’s first criminal conviction was in Floyd County for burglary, in 1988. In 2006 alone, he was convicted of six felonies in Jefferson County, Ky. Five were for burglary-related offenses; the other for drug possession, according to court records.

During a Tuesday press conference at the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson and U.S. Marshal Rick McCubbin characterized Weddle as a dangerous offender with little remorse for his purported life of committing crimes. This led to Henderson swearing out a habitual-offender charge against Weddle on Tuesday. He also faces class C forgery and class D identity deception charges in Floyd County. These three charges alone could put Weddle in prison for 20 years.

Weddle allegedly stole a man’s identity and bought a truck under it to avoid detection while stealing saddles, according to court records.

He was arrested when Kentucky State Police Trooper Todd Simon spotted him at a Louisville gas station. Simon was commended Tuesday for his bravery in pursuing Weddle alone while off-duty.

“This suspect made it known he would fight and he would shoot because he was not going back to jail,” McCubbin said.

Because the case is still unfolding on a daily basis, Henderson and officials will not elaborate on what else awaits Weddle, Long and Leasor. However, it is likely that if convicted, Weddle and Long could be in prison the rest of their lives because of the number of houses they are accused of burglarizing.

In addition, Long faces an unrelated burglary charge in Louisville, and already was being held by Kentucky authorities on 21 counts of elder abuse not related to her brother’s burglary ring. Also, charges are expected against people who “fenced” the stolen property, Henderson said.

Since Weddle is being held in Louisville, he likely will be tried in Kentucky first as each charge becomes clear, Henderson said. Only Floyd County has filed a habitual offender charge against Weddle.

“This man should not have been out on the street,” Henderson said. “I think this makes it clear that we have very little tolerance for those who cannot live within the laws of this county.”

Anyone with information about stolen saddles, electronics, jewelry, or any of the suspects is asked to call Floyd County Prosecutor’s Office at 812-848-5422 or Floyd County Sheriff’s Department at 812-948-5400.