More charges in candy caper

PALMER — A combined total of more than 150 criminal charges have been added to the list of charges facing four Valley residents accused of involvement in the Oct. 31, 2007 robbery of eight Talkeetna trick-or-treaters.

A Palmer grand Jury indicted Michael Wilson, 25, of Palmer, Aaron Tolen, 25, of Wasilla, Amber Martin, 20, of Wasilla, and Kendra Butts, 19, of Palmer on two charges of first-degree theft by receiving, five of second-degree theft by receiving and eight of evidence tampering.

Wilson and Tolen were also each indicted on eight charges of first-degree burglary, six of second-degree burglary, two of first-degree vehicle theft, 21 of second-degree theft, seven of third-degree criminal mischief and two of first-degree theft.

The charges relate to a cache of stolen property that includes a Polaris six-wheel ATV, a 1995 Chevrolet pickup, two travel trailers and various tools. Alaska State Troopers discovered the cache near Montana Creek Road while investigating the robbery, according to Trooper Sgt. Craig Allen.

Allen said many of the items matched those listed as stolen in a number of Talkeetna-area burglaries.

“There was so much to put in front of the grand jury that the District Attorney’s Office wanted to break it down into segments,” Allen said of why the new charges came Thursday instead of being lumped together with the other charges the four defendants face.

Wilson and Tolen were the first to be arrested in the case after they showed up at a Talkeetna restaurant in a truck the children identified as the one the robbers were driving. The children said their assailants were women and neither Tolen nor Wilson have been charged with the robbery.

They have, however, been charged in Alaska Superior Court in Palmer with hindering prosecution and with being felons in possession of weapons. Both also face charges In U.S. District Court of obstruction of justice and felon in possession of weapons. Tolen faces an additional theft charge. Troopers say he stole the badge from a trooper hat while awaiting transport to jail.

According to trooper reports, Wilson told troopers at the time of his arrest that his girlfriend, Butts, and Tolen’s girlfriend, Martin, met up with them soon after the robbery and told them about it.

The list of new charges against Butts and Martin are in addition to seven counts of robbery and eight of assault each faces in state Superior Court in Palmer.