Beer bandit busted

GONZALES — A local man ended up behind bars after police said he stole two cases of beer, evaded arrest and gave them a fake name.

At 11:30 p.m. June 20, Officer Gabriel Trevino was dispatched to Walmart in reference to a report of man who had stolen some beer from the store, Capt. Allen Taylor reported. The report said the man was last seen running on Church St.

Upon arrival the officer met with store management, who said the man had taken two 24-packs of beer. Officer Leopoldo Mendez and Sgt. Dewey Sumner arrived to assist, and Mendez later found a man matching the description of the suspect walking in the 900 block of Qualls St.

When officers approached the man he initially ran away, but when officers caught up to him he stopped. During questioning he gave officers a fake name, Taylor said.

Officers arrested the man and took him to the Gonzales Police Department, and while there he identified himself as Joel Michael Juarez. He admitted to stealing the beer and told officers where he had left it, Taylor said.

Police also discovered that Juarez, 18, had a warrant for his arrest in Gonzales County. He was taken to Gonzales County Jail and charged with minor in possession of alcohol, theft less than $100, failure to identify and evading arrest.