GPD identify alleged church burglar

GONZALES – Police have identified a suspect they believe to be involved in two recent church burglary thefts.

Police Capt. Allen Taylor reported that between the hours of 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13, someone broke into the First Lutheran Church at 1200 St. Joseph St. taking a headset and wireless microphone valued at approximately $1,000.

Between noon and 3:00 pm the Episcopal Church of the Messiah at 700 St. Louis St. was broken into, where the suspect left taking one discipleship cross, one silver-colored chalice and a silver Eucharist bread box silver with a lid which had a small cross standing on it. The items are valued at $3,000.

On Monday, April 17 GPD investigators conducted the investigation of the two mentioned cases. With the assistance from the Gonzales Independent School District Police Department, officials were able to obtain video surveillance which consisted of footage of the suspect and the suspect vehicle.

The information received was shared with other local and outside jurisdiction law enforcement agencies with the assistance from the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office. The Gonzales Police Department was contacted by the Karnes City Police Department on Wednesday April 19 with information on the suspect and his vehicle in reference to the church burglaries, Taylor said.

Based on the information provided by Karnes City PD, Gonzales police investigators were able to obtain arrest warrants for Johnny Ray Barrientez, 32, of Karnes City, and charged him with Burglary of a Building and Felony Theft, both of which are state jail felonies, on Thursday April 20.

With the assistance of Karnes City PD investigators were able to recover all the property that was taken from the two church burglaries, which was taken back to Gonzales.

“This case was able to be resolved through communicating with other law enforcement agencies and the Gonzales Police Department wants to thank the Gonzales Independent School District Police Department, the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office, the Gonzales County Prosecutors Office and the Karnes City Police Department,” Taylor said.