Vehicle was located in Jackson County

BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com

A warrant has been issued for a Kansas man accused of stealing a vehicle from a Barry County resident in a Facebook Marketplace transaction involving multiple reversed payments to the seller’s bank.

Keron Colbert, born 1995, of Topeka, Kan., is charged with felony stealing a motor vehicle, and a warrant has been issued with a cash-only bond of $15,000.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Det. Abby Parsons, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, on Dec. 21, 2024, Deputy Mike McGuire took a report of a stolen 2016 GMC Sierra from a victim who said she was selling it on Facebook Marketplace.

The victim said she made an agreement with a person named “Jonathen Evans” to purchase the vehicle by paying off the loan amount of $18,103.90. On Dec. 11, 2024, a transaction was made via a three-way call with the victim, the suspect and Fifth Third Bank. The victim was advised the transaction had gone through and her loan showed a zero balance.

The next day, the victim met with a male at a gas station in Seligman to transfer the vehicle, and on the day after that, she observed the payment made to the loan had been reversed.

The victim contacted the suspect, who then made another payment via three way call with the same parties, and the victim was again told the payment was processed and her account had been closed out.

However, on Dec. 21, 2024, the victim observed the payment had again been reversed and reported the alleged theft.

The truck was recovered on Dec. 31 by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in the Kansas City area. It was occupied by three males who said they had purchased the vehicle from facebook Marketplace and had obtained a photo of the seller’s driver’s license, identifying Colbert as the suspect.

Parsons showed a photo of Colbert to the victim, who identified him as the man who picked up the truck in Seligman on Dec. 12.

Parsons said in the statement she spoke with the Johnson City, Kan., Police Department, who stated Colbert had an extensive history of stealing vehicles using fraud tactics. He currently has active warrants in Missouri and Kansas for similar charges.

An entry of appearance was filed in his case on May 14, a day after his warrant was issued. No court date has been set, and the warrant remains active.