Two Tooele City men have been charged with several felonies in 3rd District Court after they allegedly robbed a man at gun and knife point in January.
Zane Walton, 29, is charged with first-degree felony aggravated robbery, third-degree felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, third-degree aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. John Scott Shepherd, 32, is charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Tooele City police were dispatched to a residence on 730 West on Jan. 22 in response to a man who had been beat up, according to a probable cause statement. The victim told officers he had arrived at Shepherd’s home where Shepherd and Walton started to question him, leading to an argument between the three men.
During the questioning and argument, the victim said Shepherd was holding a black semi-automatic handgun, which caused the victim to fear for his safety, the statement said. The victim said Walton brought him upstairs and began to hit him in the face while holding a knife, the statement said. Shepherd then came upstairs and locked an exterior door to the home before walking back downstairs, according to the victim.
Walton made a threatening comment to the victim, who believed Walton was going to kill him, the probable cause statement said. Walton took the victim’s watch, wallet, cell phone, necklace bracelet and car keys, though the victim said he was able to escape from the house and call police from a neighboring house when Walton became distracted by a cell phone.
Police served a search warrant on Shepherd’s home and found a black semi-automatic handgun, as well as the personal items the victim reported as missing, the statement said. Officers also located the knife Walton was said to be holding and a small plastic baggy with a white crystalline substance in a common area of the residence.
Both men appeared in 3rd District Court on Tuesday for scheduling conferences. Shepherd and Walton are scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on March 20 at 8 a.m. before 3rd District Court Judge John Mack Dow.