According to Wayne County Sheriff Tim Catron a report of an vehicle abandoned vehicle on private property as now resulted in the arrest of a Wayne County man on multiple charges including burglary.
On December 13, 2025, Wayne County 911 Dispatch Center dispatched Deputy Valis Smedley to check on the vehicle located in the Canada Creek Road area. Upon arrival Deputy Smedley found the vehicle with the driver’s door open with numerous personal items still inside and was unable locate the owner. A search of the general wooden area by Deputy Smedley was unsuccessful at that time. Short time later Deputy Smedley was assisted by Deputy Jerry Coffey and numerous members with the Wayne County Rescue Squad which continued the search. Again this search was unsuccessful. After interviewing several individuals about the owner of the vehicle the Deputies were shown a text message where the owner had stated he had robbed someone during the previous night at gunpoint.
The Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Kentucky Highway 776 for a complaint of over $5,000.00 worth of tools had being stolen from a local construction company owner. While taken that report Deputy Smedley remembered noticing a tool battery laying in the rear of the abandoned vehicle. This battery was identified as being owned by the construction company by engraved marks that he had placed on it. Other evidence was taken at the that scene.
Deputies Smedley and Coffey returned to the Canada Creek area after receiving a call of a male coming out of the woods. Deputies were able to located the male which was identified as the owner of the vehicle. While speaking to the male a trail camera was found on him that was identified as being owned by a landowner in the area. Deputies observed that muck type of boots being worn by the male appeared to having the same type of tread pattern as the evidence retrieved at the scene of the burglary. Both the tread pattern and the size of the boots matched.
After processing paperwork and conducting an interview with the male Deputy Smedley charged and arrested Ryan A. Jahnke of Monticello, Ky. for criminal trespassing-3rd degree, theft by unlawful taking or disposition-all others, burglary-1st degree and public intoxication-controlled substance (excludes alcohol). Jahnke was also arrested on 2 Wayne County District Court and 1 Pulaski County District Court Warrants of Arrest for failure to pay or show cause on the underlying charges of criminal possession of a forged instrument-3rd degree, theft by unlawful taking or disposition-shoplifting and forgery-3rd degree.
Jahnke was lodged in the Wayne County Detention Center. The investigation is continuing by Deputy Smedley with possible more arrets pending.
