More charges filed in Greene chop shop case
Greene County Regional Police have charged another man in connection to a suspected chop shop in Perry Township.
James Dustin Bell, 29, of Morris Township, is facing felony charges of conspiracy for owning or operating a chop shop, conspiracy for theft by unlawful taking and conspiracy for alteration or destruction of a vehicle identification number.
Initially charged in July was Jimmy Lee Butterfield, 43, of Perry Township. Police searched Butterfield’s home in the 200 block of Dunkard Avenue on July 2 as part of an investigation into a motorcycle theft in Cumberland Township.
When they entered the garage on the property, police found Bell covered in grease and standing near a red motorcycle. Investigators discovered it was the stolen bike they were searching for.
According to the complaint, police also found a stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycle and motorcycle parts.
Butterfield was arrested last week by Monongalia County sheriff’s deputies in Morgantown, W.Va. Greene regional police Chief Will DeForte said at the time of his arrest that police had also found suspected crystal meth when searching the Perry Township home.
DeForte alleges the drugs were in packaging similar to what is found to come out of laboratories in Mexico. The suspected drugs were sent to the state police crime lab to be evaluated, and neither Bell nor Butterfield are currently facing drug-related charges.
A warrant has been issued for Bell’s arrest.