Missoula Property Scandal: Illegal Occupant Arrested
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On October 15, 2024, Missoula Police Department Officers were dispatched to a report of a burglary in progress in the 1500 block of Reserve Street. An employee of Caras Property Management called 911 and said a male was inside the property. The male was not supposed to be there and had damaged the building.
Officers arrived and established a perimeter around the property. An officer began giving verbal commands to the male to exit the building. The male, later identified as Joel Vessie, eventually exited the building but continued to be uncooperative with law enforcement commands.
According to court documents, Vessie had been living in the unit illegally. The employee approached Vessie and Vessie informed him that he was living there and he was the manager of the property and had the authority to rent it.
The employee disengaged, checked with Caras staff, and confirmed the house was vacant. Then the employee called 911. The employee also noticed a deadbolt lock had been installed on the unit’s door by someone other than himself and/or Caras. A set of keys were later found by officers inside the unit. The keys matched the deadbolt lock. A detective also found some personal property belonging to Vessie inside a storage unit and the unit itself.
The detective also noticed significant damage had been done to both structures. There was damage to the drywall, including holes and markings. There was a broken window, damaged door, door frame, hardware, and additional cleaning. Based on the estimates given by Caras, the damage done to both addresses has an aggregate value between $1,600 and $2,050.
READ MORE: Missoula News – Crime Reports
Vessie was placed under arrest and was transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. He is currently being charged with felony burglary and felony criminal mischief.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.
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