Second suspect arrested in Cleveland, TN church burglaries

Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog
photo Justin Bazzano

The second suspect in several Cleveland church burglaries, 25-year-old Clint Alan Neice, was arrested in Asheville, N.C., on Tuesday, according to Sgt. Dave Romick of the Asheville Police Department.

He is being kept on a $50,000 bond for a fugitive warrant, and no charges have been filed locally.

The first suspect, Justin Lee Bazzano, 25, was arrested last Friday and charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of vandalism over $500 and two counts of theft over $1,000, Cleveland police officer Evie West said. He was found locally in Cleveland.

The pair allegedly burglarized three churches in Cleveland last week. The first burglary occurred on the night of Aug. 17 at South Cleveland United Methodist. St. Therese Catholic Church was hit on the nights of Aug. 18 and 19, and North Cleveland Baptist was burglarized sometime between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the 19th, West said.

West said they are waiting on Neice's extradition back to Tennessee for the crime.

Contact staff reporter Hannah Smith at hsmith@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6731.

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