Feds Charge Casper Man With Stealing Guns From Pawn Shop

Federal prosecutors have charged a Casper man for stealing two pistols from a pawn shop last week, according to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court on Friday.

Shannon Christopher Mares, 27, was charged with one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearm licensee, which is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and three years of probation after release from custody.

The case began on April 30 when a Casper police officer contacted a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent about two guns stolen from Depend-A-Pawn, 1023 E. Second St., according to the affidavit accompanying the charging document.

The day before, a worker at the store was showing the guns to a customer. The worker was talking to a co-worker and the suspect grabbed two guns -- a Sig Sauer and a Baretta -- and fled.

Witnesses described the suspect's appearance including a possible face tattoo.

He ran east in the parking lot, looped west, ran around the building and then south to an alley. One witness said the suspect "looked confused' and entered a black vehicle and drove south on McKinley Street.

Surveillance video from the store showed the suspect taking the guns and running.

About 10:30 p.m., officers saw a Dodge Durango driving around residential garages in the area of North Elma Street. When they approached it, the door was open and no one was inside. They talked to a neighbor who said Mares drove the Durango.

Meanwhile, a detective spoke to Mares' parole officer, showed her the surveillance video and she said she believed the suspect was Mares. The parole officer added that Mares was in the process of having his facial tattoos removed.

Mares was on parole for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

He was arrested at 6 a.m. Wednesday and booked into the Natrona County Detention Center to be placed on hold for probation and parole, and for possessing a controlled substance, according to the jail roster.