The story has been corrected after the Pawnee County Attorney sent incorrect information.

PAWNEE COUNTY— A Kansas man has been found not guilty of burglary in Pawnee County.

On Wednesday a Pawnee County District Court jury heard testimony that on August 26, 2018, while checking cattle on leased property in northern Pawnee County a farmer noticed the chain leading back into the property had been cut, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered the locks securing the barn, a trailer house and an RV located on the property had been broken.  The Pawnee County Sheriff was then called to the scene.

Later the same afternoon, the defendant 49-year-old Harold Mason was stopped and arrested in Barton County on local charges.

Shayla Richmeier, 28, and Eric Reed, 47, both of Great Bend were also arrested at the time.  A search of his vehicle located items from the Pawnee County Burglary, a faucet still in the original box with the victim’s name on the shipping label and various boy scout memorabilia.  At the time, the defendant told a Barton County Detective he’d purchased the faucet and did not know how the other items ended up in vehicle.  None of the other items reported stolen have been recovered.

Mason did not testify in his own defense, nor did he present any witnesses.

The jury made up of 7 women and 5 men deliberated for approximately 80 minutes before returning a Not Guilty verdict.

In March, the co-defendant, Richmeier, entered a No Contest plea to an amended charge of Criminal Trespass.  The State agreed to dismiss similar charges against Reed prior to Preliminary Hearing, according to McNett.