Alex Torres, left; Carlos Torres Morales, right, (Hall County Department of Corrections, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — An investigation into a stolen cell phone would lead to the arrest of two men after methamphetamine was located in their vehicle on Wednesday, July 31.
Around 12:07 p.m., officers with the Grand Island Police Department responded to a 17-year-old male who was using GPS services to locate his cell phone that he said had been stolen earlier in the day from the Casey’s on S. Locust St.
The 17-year-old would tell officers that he located his cell phone in a GMC Yukon near 18th and Huston Ave. It was occupied by two males, the victim reported they admitted to stealing the phone.
The two males would tell the 17-year-old that if he wanted to get his phone back, he had to “be a man” and come get it.
Officers would locate the GMC Yukon with both occupants ducking down in the vehicle with a pocketknife on the driver’s lap.
Officers contacted the males and recognized them from prior contacts. The driver was identified as Alex Torres, and the passenger was Carlos Torres Morales.
Per officers, Torres and Morales would admit to possessing the phone since locating it at Casey’s earlier in the day. Both said they did not report locating the phone because they believed the 17-year-old owner should find it with GPS tracking and contact them.
Both would admit to leaving the phone in the street prior to law enforcement contact and that it had likely been run over. When officers asked who left the phone in the street, both would remain silent.
During an inventory of the vehicle, officer located methamphetamine on the driver side were
Alex Torres was sitting.
Morales was arrested for Tampering with Evidence and Possession of Stolen Property, Torres arrested for Possession Controlled Substance, Tampering with Evidence and Possession of Stolen Property.
Both were booked into the Hall County Department of Corrections.
