ARKANSAS FOUR STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR STEALING COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FROM JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITYNWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source
SILOAM SPRINGS — Four John Brown University students were arrested last week for the theft of computer equipment valued at $13,000. Acquaintances of the students said the four hoped to use the equipment to make and sell fake identification cards.

The case is under investigation, and the police are considering that others were involved, said detective Todd Brakeville of the Siloam Springs Police Department.

Adam McClintock, a JBU senior, and Brian Carlisle, a JBU junior, were arrested Oct. 25, and John Davis-Clark, a JBU junior, was arrested Oct. 26. The fourth person, Aaron Ray, was arrested Oct. 28, but his charges have not been released, Police Capt. Joe Garrett said.

Carlisle is charged with commercial burglary and theft of property, both class C felonies that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years per count. McClintock is charged with theft by receiving, a class D felony, that carries a maximum sentence of five years per count, Brakeville said.

McClintock was released from the Siloam Springs Jail on his own recognizance without having to post bond following a bond hearing Thursday. Carlisle, after posting a $2,500 bond, was released from the Benton County jail on Thursday.

Investigators requested that Carlisle’s bond be set at $15,000, but it was reduced by Judge Stephen Sloan Thomas. The judge did not think Carlisle was a flight risk because of the student’s connection with JBU. The cooperation of both suspects also contributed to the lessened bail, Thomas said.

Davis-Clark is charged with one count of accessory to commercial burglary, a class D felony. He has also been charged with accessory to commercial burglary in an another investigation related to JBU. The police would not comment on the additional investigation, Brakeville said.

The investigation began Oct. 19 after campus safety director Mike O’Neal discovered that a new Dell desktop computer with a flat-screen monitor, a computer processor tower, a Canon digital camera, a printer used to print student identification cards and boxes of blank cards were missing from the former mailroom in the Mabee/Chapman Administration Center on Oct. 18, Brakeville said.

The equipment was last seen Oct. 17 by campus safety officials. An anonymous tip, which the police presume was from a student, was given to campus security and passed on to police. The tip indicated Carlisle and Davis-Clark may have been involved with the disappearance of the equipment, Brakeville said.

On Oct. 25, after a week-long investigation, police and campus security sought out Davis-Clark and Carlisle for questioning. The two weren’t home, so campus security staked out their residence until Carlisle and McClintock arrived at the on-campus duplex that evening, at which time the police were called, and Carlisle signed a consent to search the residence.

No evidence was found in the residence, but some peripheral computer equipment, such as a computer mouse, was found in Carlisle’s vehicle, and the two men were arrested, Brakeville said.

That evening, the police were led to the Fayetteville residence of a former JBU student, where the remaining equipment was found and seized from a vehicle. Police will not say how they were led there. The name of the vehicle’s owner has not been released. He is still under investigation, Brakeville said.

On Oct. 26, Davis-Clark willingly accompanied police to the Siloam Springs Police Station for questioning and was arrested, Brakeville said.

Students close to the situation have said they believe the machine was going to be used to make fake identification cards to be sold and given to JBU and University of Arkansas students to make them appear to be 21 years of age or older. "The students didn’t have the software to make ID cards — that was on the (JBU) server, so no fake identifications were made," Brakeville said.

All of the missing equipment was returned to JBU and appears to be in good condition, Brakeville said.

Carlisle and McClintock are both waiting for their arraignments on Dec. 5. in Benton County Circuit Court.

Carlisle, from Phoenix, Ariz., is majoring in construction management and minoring in military science. He is a member of the rugby team.

Davis-Clark, from Conroe, Texas, is majoring in sports medicine and is the student trainer for the men’s soccer team at JBU. He is also a member of the rugby team.

McClintock, from Beatrice, Neb., is majoring in engineering. He is the recipient of the McCaw fund for Engineering Excellence Scholarship, according to the JBU Web site.

Ray, from Van Buren, is majoring in exercise studies and is a member of the rugby team. "It is extremely unfortunate that JBU students could have made a bad decision that would not only impact their Christian witness and JBU, but their own future. At this time, (JBU is) fully cooperating with the Siloam Springs Police Department and reviewing the case for appropriate disciplinary actions if the students are found guilty," said a JBU statement released Thursday.