NEWPORT, Vt. — Chief Travis Bingham announces that the Newport Police Department made an arrest in a vehicle theft that took place Wednesday, with the suspect facing associated charges.
JOSEPH CANTO, 52, of NEWPORT was charged with:
- Driving with a Criminally Suspended License
- Operation without Owner’s Consent (Grand Larceny)
On Wednesday, Jan. 17, around 10:45 a.m., a man left his 2017 Jeep Cherokee running while at a business on East Main Street. A male and female were spotted near the vehicle and the vehicle took off, driving west on East Main Street. Around that same time, officers saw a woman matching the description of the woman who was spotted near the vehicle. She advised that a man named “Jim” had taken the vehicle and she had not entered it.
Police eventually recovered the Cherokee about one mile away from the scene of the theft, at the intersection of Third and Summer streets. At that time, an officer was accompanied by the man previously identified as Jim, who was later identified as CANTO.
The officer searched CANTO, who advised that he had several needles in his possession. Inside an eyeglasses case, police found several unused needles, a used needle and a “loaded” needle, which had a liquid substance in it. The substance was tested and the liquid in it was found to contain Fentanyl.
CANTO was lodged on $200 bail. He is currently lodged at Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport. He will be arraigned Thursday at Orleans District Court.
The woman interviewed near the scene of the theft was identified as SHEILA CANTO, 57, of NEWPORT, brother of JOSEPH CANTO. SHEILA CANTO will be cited with providing an officer false information in relation to this case. SHEILA CANTO also was on conditions of release after being charged in connection with a Jan. 11 motor vehicle theft.
These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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