Merced County man convicted of theft after stealing ‘bait’ trailer

A 46-year-old man who was apprehended after law enforcement used a “bait” trailer pleaded guilty and was convicted on theft charges this week.

Justin William Slate was one of two suspects tracked down by Merced County Sheriff’s deputies and agents from the Merced County District Attorney’s Office.

The other man, Arturo Guzman Sr., 44, still has a warrant out for his arrest. Slate and Guzman stole a trailer that had been rigged with monitoring devices installed by sheriff’s deputies and DA agents.

The bait trailer, according to a Merced County District Attorney’s Office press release, was set up as part of the Rural Crime Prevention Program and was parked on private property.

According to the release, Slate and Guzman stole the trailer a short time later and authorities tracked it to a residential address on Highway 140.

The house where Slate and Guzman took the stolen trailer had a large amount of methamphetamine and cash. Authorities recovered the trailer at the scene.

Authorities continue to search for Guzman. Sheriff’s deputies ask the public to call District Attorney Investigator Ryan Rasmussen at 209-385-7381 if anyone knows of Guzman’s whereabouts.

The Rural Crime Prevention Program is paid for by a state grant and helps crack down on rampant crime in the rural parts of Merced County, the Merced County D.A.’s Office said in a press release.

Authorities work with farmers, ranchers and agriculture-related businesses to combat rural crime as part of this program with the goal of aggressively prosecuting suspects who commit crimes in rural areas.