NEWS RELEASE
SAULT STE. MARIE POLICE DEPARTMENT
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On Wednesday, September 4th, 2024, at approximately 6:00 a.m., Officers from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department were dispatched to a Breaking & Entering complaint at the Krist Oil Gas Station at 1101 Riverview Way. 7
Officers determined two adults and one juvenile broke into the building and stole over $17,000 worth of merchandise. There was also an estimated $4,500 worth of
damage done to the building.
Julia Linville-Drake and Melissa Cowling were taken into custody on charges related to this crime.
As the investigation unfolded and multiple search warrants were executed, Officers identified Julia Linville-Drake, Melissa Cowling, and a different juvenile as suspects in a ring of Breaking & Entering crimes that occurred at various youth sports concession stands throughout this past summer.
These concession stands included the James Field concession stand, the McClellan Pavillion concession stand, the Sault Little League concession stand and field house, and the A.J. VanCitter’s Athletic Field concession stand and press box.
Linville-Drake and Cowling were ultimately charged with conducting a criminal enterprise by the Chippewa County Prosecutor’s Office, and both juveniles involved were also charged and will be processed through the 50th Circuit Court Family Division. The total value of the items stolen was over $20,000 and the total damage to the various buildings is estimated to be over $10,000.
Please note that all the individuals charged with these crimes are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We are not releasing the names of the juveniles involved.
We recognize the negative impact these crimes had on our community. The items stolen from the concession stands were the property of and donated to the youth of our community. These crimes will not be tolerated.
We thank our community for their assistance with these investigations.
Additionally, we recognize and thank the following agencies for their support and assistance with the investigations: Chippewa County Central Dispatch, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, Sault Tribe Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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