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More arrests made in Huffman estate thefts
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Published: June 14, 2009
CLAREMONT - Two more arrests have been made in connection with the break-in at J.V. Huffman Jr.'s home in Claremont.
Investigators with the Catawba County Sheriff's Office arrested Derek Coley, 17, of Ringtail Road in Claremont on Tuesday and Sierra Denise Hartsoe, 19, of Davis Street in Catawba on Thursday. Both were charged with felony breaking and entering and felony larceny and placed in jail under $75,000 secured bonds.
Huffman is accused of lying to neighbors, family and friends for 17 years, telling them he bought and sold securities as he took millions of dollars from them to pay for his lavish lifestyle in a Ponzi scheme through his company, Biltmore Financial Inc. He is charged with four counts of felony security fraud and four felony counts of obtaining property by false pretense, and has pleaded not guilty. Huffman's next court date is Aug. 24.
Law enforcement officials were first alerted to someone in Huffman's home on June 5. Someone in Huffman's family, who periodically checks on the property, noticed a light was left on in the house.
When officers arrived at the home on Wishing Well Lane in Claremont, the doors were wide open. Reid said people entered the home through an unlocked window. Authorities say as many as 16 people have been in Huffman's home stealing items.
The receiver appointed in the Huffman and Biltmore Financial Inc. case by a federal court is in the process of implementing additional security measures on Huffman's home and property.
Chief Deputy Coy Reid with the Catawba County Sheriff's Office said investigators arrested Coley after investigation. Hartsoe turned herself in, after hearing that investigators were searching for anyone who had anything to do with the break-ins at Huffman's home.
Investigators arrested four other teenagers in connection with the break-in and thefts. They were each charged with felony breaking and entering and larceny. One of them, Christian Goss, also was charged with felony larceny of a motor vehicle for stealing Huffman's 2007 Mercedes S65, appraised at $101,000.
The car, several TVs, a Go-Kart, digital cameras and a flat-screen computer monitor have been recovered.
Reid said that while one or two of the people arrested are affiliated with a gang, the theft from Huffman's home is not gang-related.
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