Pair plead innocent to theft of jewelry

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The two McCook men, allegedly responsible for the November burglary of Huegel's Hutch Antiques in McCook, each pleaded not guilty to their own charge of Class III felony burglary, Dec. 14, in Red Willow County District Court. The men, 20-year-old Prestin G. Remington and 22-year-old Trevor D. Gray, are accused of stealing more than $50,000 in jewelry from the retailer.

The pair was implicated in the burglary after a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle was reported stolen from a West J Street residence. The padlock was cut from the wheeled trailer the motorcycle was secured in and the bike was recovered a few weeks later, on property owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

A witness identified Gray as riding the motorcycle the week prior to its recovery and informed investigators it had been stored in an extra bedroom in the apartment building that Remington lived in.

Investigators then obtained a search warrant for Remington's apartment, which did not contain the motorcycle, but Gray was present at the time and Remington was arrested for probation violations resulting from the search.

Remington is serving probation for two unrelated burglary charges he was convicted of in April. Those charges resulted in a 24 month probation sentence and stem from the August 2010 burglary of JC Penneys in McCook, as well as a break-in and theft of a laptop from McCook High School.

While in custody Remington gave investigators a voicemail message Gray had left on his cell phone, in which Gray asks for assistance in hiding a bike he had stolen.

Gray was subsequently arrested on Nov. 14 on a Furnas County warrant, no details pertaining to that warrant are currently available.

Gray pleaded not guilty to a Class IV felony charge of theft by unlawful taking, stemming from the motorcycle theft, in addition to the Class III felony charge stemming from the Huegel's Antiques burglary. Gray is scheduled for trial on March 20 and 21, 2012, at 9 a.m. in Red Willow County District Court.

Remington is facing the lone Class III burglary charge stemming from the antique store break-in and has a motions hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 9, 2012, in Red Willow County District Court.