LOGAN, Utah, Oct. 19, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A Logan couple has been arrested after they allegedly harbored a fugitive from Kentucky.
Hunter Alan Smith, 33, and Brandie Louise Baney, 29, are both facing a charge of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, after they allegedly lied to police about the whereabouts of James David Burnham, said a probable cause statement from the 1st District Court of Cache County.
On Oct. 14, deputies arrested Burnham at a residence in the area of 1000 N. 200 East in Logan, the home of Smith and Baney, the news release said. The two were asked if Burnham was inside the residence and they denied that he was there.
Smith and Baney were then separated and interviewed and Baney said Burnham had left the house on Oct. 10 and signed his vehicle over to them. After further questioning, Baney admitted Burnham was still inside the residence; Smith remained non-compliant.
Smith was on probation with the Cache County Sheriff’s Office and allowed his probation officer access to his phone.
“In his phone there was a message to James at 12:49 on Oct. 14 that stated ‘Do not come out cops are here,'” the statement said. The officer asked where Smith had seen the police and he pointed at the parking lot where the officer had been doing surveillance and stated “that he was over there in a blue truck,” the statement said.
A search warrant was obtained for Smith’s phone Monday. Officials found numerous texts containing threats against law enforcement including one that said: “They are lucky I was outside when they grabbed me, I was gonna grab the shotty and go out blazing. I f—ing hate cops. They are lucky they grabbed me outside. I was gonna f— them up and they knew it so I’m in deep shit.”
Burnham, 34, will be extradited back to Kentucky; he was indicted for seven counts of rape and eight counts of promoting human trafficking victims under 18 on Oct. 6 after a six-month investigation.
Smith and Baney were transported to Weber County Jail; Smith’s bail was set at $20,000 and Baney’s at $2,000.
