Alva Review-Courier -

An alert Alva police officer spotted suspicious activity while patrolling in a city park. When she checked it out, she found evidence related to an earlier report of stolen guns.

According to court records, on Dec. 21 Alva Assistant Police Chief Patrick Hawley took a burglary report from Bill Hadwiger. Numerous firearms consisting primarily of handguns were stolen from inside the Hadwiger Building at 417 and 419 Barnes St. in Alva. Hadwiger told Hawley he had stored numerous firearms inside the building including a long gun that looked like an M-16.

About midnight on Dec. 28 while on patrol, Alva Police Officer Tamira McLelland observed a tan Toyota Tundra pickup truck with trash dumped next to it in the city park. She observed an adult male, later identified as Brandon Lewis, and an adult female standing in the bed of the truck. After allowing the individuals to leave, McLelland looked through the trash and located several empty firearm boxes with serial numbers as well as a recent McDonald’s receipt, and additional paperwork with the address of 417 and 419 Barnes, Alva, Oklahoma, addressed to a Salt Fork Sporting Good gun store and bought from Euclid Sales Co. Through investigative activity, McLelland was able to identify the McDonald’s receipt as belonging to Brandon Lewis.

This information was reported to District Attorney’s Investigator Steve Tanio. Hawley also reported that on Dec. 29, he stopped Brandon Lewis in the Toyota Tundra for a traffic violation in the Alva city limits. During the stop, Lewis voluntarily admitted he had three handguns in his possession which he had acquired in Alva. Lewis admitted he had recently purchased methamphetamine which was still in his possession.

Hawley determine Lewis had an outstanding arrest warrant from McIntosh County, Oklahoma, for a 2014 burglary charge. Hawley, Lt. Ronald Vasquez and McLelland recovered a large quantity of what appeared to be methamphetamine, consisting of two clear plastic containers of white crystalline substance, two individual pieces of white crystalline substance, five large clear bags of marijuana and three semi-automatic handguns consisting of a Browning Arms semi-automatic handgun and two Benelli Arms semi-automatic handguns from Lewis’ truck.

Lewis was arrested and transported to the Woods County Jail. Hawley conducted a narcotics field test on the white crystalline substance, which tested positive for methamphetamine. Hawley weighed the methamphetamine for a total of 46.1 grams. The marijuana had a combined weight of 2.23 pounds.

During a post-Miranda interview with Hawley and Woods County Deputy David Cummings, Lewis admitted approximately two weeks ago he had acquired stolen guns, which he later sold in Kansas. Lewis admitted he was aware the three handguns in his current possession had been stolen from the Hadwiger Building in Alva. Lewis admitted during the late evening and early morning hours of Dec. 28 and 29, he had climbed onto the roof of the Hadwiger building to find a way to enter and steal additional firearms.

On Dec. 29, William “Bill” Hadwiger told Tanio he was a retired attorney and previously resided and practiced law in Alva. Hadwiger said since 1971 he had owned the lot and built the building located at 417/419 Barnes Street in Alva. Hadwiger had been using the building to store numerous firearms consisting of semi-automatic handguns, revolvers, shotguns, bolt action rifles and other long guns. Hadwiger identified three of the semi-automatic handguns recovered by the Alva Police Department from Lewis as firearms he owned which had been stored in his Alva building.

On Dec. 29, Tanio conducted a background check of Brandon Lewis. He located an Oklahoma driver’s license with an address in the 600 block of East Flynn in Alva. Lewis had a prior criminal record including a conviction for burglary second degree in McIntosh County for which he received a six-year sentence with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. He was convicted of conspiracy in Osage County, receiving a two-year sentence and then later a seven-year, one month sentence. He was also convicted in Muskogee County in a felony case, receiving a six-year, nine month sentence.

On Jan. 4, Brandon Edward Joseph Lewis, 31, of Wichita, Kansas, was charged with four felony counts: (1) trafficking in illegal drugs (methamphetamine), (2) possession of controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, (3) attempted burglary in the second degree and (4) knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property.

Lewis’ bond has been set at $75,000. His next court appearance has been set for Feb. 13.