A Bismarck man was arrested late Friday on a felony theft charge after he was allegedly caught driving a stolen SUV and gave Garland County sheriff's deputies multiple different stories regarding where he got the vehicle.
Michael Chestley Gaston, 32, who lists a Bismarck address, was taken into custody shortly before 10 p.m. and charged with theft by receiving over $1,000, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Gaston was being held on a $2,500 bond and is set to appear on Jan. 2 in Garland County District Court. According to court records, he was previously convicted in Garland County on Dec. 13, 2106, for felony fleeing and sentenced to four years' supervised probation which was revoked on May 5, 2019, and extended by three years.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 8:30 p.m., sheriff's Deputy Chandler Overton made a traffic stop on a blue 2009 Nissan Armada in the 4500 block of Highway 7 north after noting it didn't have the correct amount of driving lamps and that the license plate was "obscured and unreadable."
He made contact with the driver, identified as Gaston, and his male passenger, 15, in the front seat. Gaston reportedly told him he was borrowing the vehicle from a friend. Then he allegedly changed his story and said the friend was borrowing it from "an individual who is in rehab in Hot Springs."
Overton noted Gaston's story changed multiple times while speaking with him. Hot Springs Village Police Officer Ryan Steed arrived to assist as Overton checked the vehicle identification number of the SUV which showed it was reported stolen out of Garland County on Nov. 1.
Gaston was taken into custody at that point and the juvenile passenger was released to his grandfather. While speaking to Gaston again after being read his rights, he allegedly stated he borrowed the vehicle from a "Mr. Anderson" in Hollis which didn't match his previous stories.
A check of the Bluebook value of the SUV showed it was valued at $1,600 to $2,000. Due to Gaston being in possession of the vehicle and "his story changing multiple times" he was charged with felony theft.