DOUGLAS

BUCKHANNON – An Upshur County man faces felony charges after allegedly stealing $5,000 in cash from a man who hired him for work.

Jason Cody Douglas, 36, is charged with one count of burglary and one count of grand larceny, both felonies. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $20,000 surety/cash bond.

According to the criminal complaint, filed by Sergeant T.R. Collins with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on April 24, the alleged victim attempted to retrieve cash that he had stashed within his residence in Buckhannon.

Upon attempting to retrieve the money, the alleged victim realized it was missing, the complaint states. The alleged victim searched his entire house, including the immediate area where the money had initially been stored. The alleged victim told police that, days prior, he had found a half-burnt cigarette with the end smashed on a desk near where the money had been stored.

The alleged victim informed officers that he recently had work done by Douglas, the complaint states. Douglas had reportedly told the alleged victim that he entered the house and used the bathroom without the alleged victim’s consent. The alleged victim told Douglas not to enter his house without permission again.

When confronted about the missing money, Douglas allegedly admitted to entering the house through the back door, going to where the money was and taking it, the complaint states. Douglas reportedly said he used the stolen money to gamble, buy Mountain Dew and buy gifts for his child’s birthday. Douglas told the alleged victim he could try to get some of the money back and returned to the residence a short time later with approximately $650.

According to the complaint, this amount was approximately $4,350 short of the $5,000 taken from the alleged victim’s residence. Collins writes that the money had been counted in full by the alleged victim’s son the week prior to the theft.