By Selwyn Harris
The Nye County Sheriff’s Office is widening its investigation into a suspected chop shop uncovered at a local home last week.
Sandra McFadden, 59, and her son Che McFadden, 31, were arrested and charged with multiple felonies after stolen vehicles and other items were recovered from a home at 1581 W. Vondell Dr.
Che McFadden is a manager for Super Pawn on Highway 160. His job at the pawn shop has raised red flags for investigators.
Authorities reported they found a large number of firearms, and expensive watches and jewelry at the McFadden home, as well as a failed attempt to grow marijuana.
Sheriff Tony DeMeo said his office will expand its investigation to find out if McFadden’s alleged crimes spilled over into his employment.
“That’s an area we are looking at because we have had stuff that has been recovered from people who would go to Super Pawn and identify stuff that had been stolen. That can complicate a lot of things because if you have somebody in the pawn shop that may have a way of scheming and using the system to their advantage, that can cause some issues where we try and recover the stuff and identify the suspects that are pawning,” he said.
DeMeo also said it’s important for people to protect themselves by documenting the serial numbers of valuable merchandise or even take a photograph of it for their own records.
“We always tell people to etch information into their personal property. Sometimes a number that’s on the product is not necessarily the serial number. You get another product; the serial number is sometimes on the box. When you buy things now, take a picture of it, and put it somewhere where you can save it,” he said.
Investigators are now going back through old police reports in an attempt to match up property that was reported stolen to see if any of it matches property seized from the residence.
NCSO Deputy Adam Tippetts was one of the arresting officers at the scene.
His subsequent investigation revealed that Che McFadden was allegedly altering Vehicle Identification Numbers. VINs on cars.
Deputies, according to Tippetts, recovered at least two stolen vehicles from the residence.
“Both vehicles were revealed to have the VIN numbers tampered with,” the deputy said. “The truck had the VIN number completely removed. Later on, Deputy Harry Williams was able to identify a secondary VIN number. He ran that VIN and determined it to be stolen out of Texas.”
The vehicle that sparked the investigation was a 1987 Chevrolet Corvette. The true owner has already been located by the sheriff’s office.
Deputies are now in the process of finding the owner of an early-to-mid 2000 Ford truck.
Tippetts said the suspects had somehow been recovering VIN numbers from wrecked or totaled vehicles to use on other vehicles with a similar make and model.
He also noted that an identifying mark on the vehicle helped investigators learn that the Ford truck was indeed stolen.
“One of the most valuable tools that we have is a specific uniqueness about the vehicle. The previous owner had put an emblem on the back of the vehicle. Even if the deputy didn’t notice that the VIN number in the dashboard had been tampered with, that uniqueness allowed us to identify the specific car,” he said.
DeMeo, meanwhile, said the process to locate the true owners of the seized property will be very time consuming but necessary to complete the investigation.
“We’ll go back and if we can’t identify all of the stuff then we will find some way of having a viewing with the victims coming forward. It’s kind of difficult; I have a ring that’s unique. I can describe it but there are other rings out there just like it. People just have to be a little more cognizant in protecting their personal valuables. This time of year, property crimes are more prevalent because everybody’s got goodies. People are out there still shopping and people have stuff on them,” he said.
Tippetts made the point that it’s extremely important to document the serial numbers on firearms and weapons.
“If those were to turn up stolen, it’s very frustrating to know that there are stolen firearms on the street with little or no way to track it,” he said.
One person who has a differing opinion about the McFaddens is a neighbor who chose to remain unnamed.
He said he never experienced any problems with his neighbors in the five years they have known each other.
“I thought they were the greatest. They always worked, they had junk cars in their yard but that was from repossessing cars. We were always good neighbors, they helped me, I helped them,” he said.
The man also said other neighbors have complained to him about all of the junked cars and scrap on the McFadden property.
“They shouldn’t complain about it because we live in Pahrump. I lived in Vegas for 50 years and you can’t even have one car in your yard without a license plate, but we don’t live in Vegas, we live in Pahrump. You have to accept what there is here. There’s good, and there’s bad. As far as my neighbors, I wouldn’t want to lose them. They’ve been good neighbors. We’ve been good to each other. Nobody is perfect,” he said.
Che McFadden was released on his own recognizance the day after his Dec. 21 arrest. Sandra McFadden remains in custody on $15,000 bail.
The manager at Super Pawn refused to comment when asked by a PVT reporter. DeMeo said the investigation continues.
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- Selwyn Harris / Pahrump Valley Times – Junked vehicles and scrap materials litter the front yard of Che and Sandra McFadden’s home at 1581 W. Vondell Dr. Police say they recovered two stolen vehicles from the property last week before arresting the McFaddens.
The neighbor sounds like the kind of people we DON’T need here in Pahrump. The type of people who are OK with junk cars all over the property, trash strewn all over, making their property look like a junk yard. Well, unnamed neighbor, that’s not the kind of town I want. I realize we are in a rural setting for the most part, but that doesn’t give you the right to trash up the place. Property values have taken a big hit and we don’t need junk yards to drag it down even further.
it sounds to me like you are the type of person we don’t want in pahrump….the kind of person who moved here and then started trying to conform pahrump into where you came from.
there were a lot of properties that had multiple junk cars and scrap already there when many of us decided to buy our properties and then people like you complain after the fact.
you didn’t buy your house as an investment property and if you did then it was a foolish move on your part so all i can say is that if you don’t like the view then don’t look….if you can’t do that then move if you can’t handle it.
either way you have no right to judge this particular neighbor …or anyone else for that matter.
Agree. I saw this over and over in the rural areas of Southern California. Developers buy farm and cattle ranch land and build houses. The people buy houses next to dairies and chicken farms and demand they be shut down because of “offensive” odors even though the farms, dairies and ranches had been in the area for decades.
Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. I’ve been in Pahrump for several years now, have seen some attempts to cityfy the place that failed, and I couldn’t more pleased it did fail. I came to Pahrump because I liked the rural life style, I don’t like to drive past yards full of junk cars, trash, busted up trailers and all sorts of other junk. Is this what you are defending?
Those who want to store trash on their property for whatever reason are hoarders and need attention. When I came to Pahrump there wasn’t much here and I have seen changes mostly for the better.
By the way, I came here from a very rural area much like Pahrump with farms, ranches and open space outside of the city limits, no street lights and a volunteer fire department. But, we wouldn’t stand for anyone trashing their property because they couldn’t bear to part with their trash.
actually i do know what i’m talking about….
i am not defending people who let trash, garbage or junk build up in their yards.
i too like the rural lifestyle or i wouldn’t be here… i could have moved anywhere i wanted to but chose pahrump. obviously you either missed or chose to ignore what i was saying so i will say it on more time.
i was saying….that MANY of the yards you see that have cars and scrap in them were here long before you or i decided to buy our homes.
IF YOU chose to buy your home in a neighborhood that had such yards then that would be YOUR problem and you have NO RIGHT to complain about it because THEY were here FIRST.
that being said…. if your neighbors started their hoarding on their properties after you moved in then yes you have every right to complain.
you don’t say what rural town you came from but i would be willing to bet that there were such yards there as well and it wouldn’t be that hard to find them….
Just because these hoarders were here before I, or anyone else, came here is no reason to put up with it. I have spoken to many people who were turned off by the sight of, what they call, trailer trash (their words, not mine). I really don’t have a problem with someone collecting cars for refurbishing or customizing as long as they aren’t in their front yard. Keep them around back, out of view of passing prospective residents or business owners.
No, I wasn’t born here, but I chose to live here because of the rural life style, the dark skies and open spaces. But I want my town to succeed, I want good businesses to come here and flourish. I want our citizens to have choices here and not have to go to Las Vegas for shopping or jobs. I don’t want prospective business owners to drive through our town and see the junk some people collect; I don’t want them to see tents pitched along the highway to sell whatever; I don’t want them to see piles of rocks or storage sheds plopped down on the side of the road for sale. By the same token, I don’t want to see street lights, I don’t want to see bicycle trails (well, I really don’t care about those) or sidewalks mandated. I don’t want to change Pahrump from what it is, a rural town. But, in doing so, I don’t want to see trash and junk piled up all over. We have a free dump. Free! Paid for by our taxes. There is no reason to have junk piled up all over. We need to take pride in our town and try and not be the laughing stock of Nevada.
by the way PVT….
i know this is off topic but do we not get a sheriff report any longer or do you not print it? just curious.
We don’t get one anymore.
PVT
I’m speechless, Che helped major in the 2011 toy drives. He was super nice and willing to help. I’m shocked he would do something like that. Way to go NCSO….
i think this is one of those cases that we will have to wait and see what the outcome is….obviously all of the facts were not given to the PVT by the sheriff’s office as is always the case and one dead plant is not a growing operation…. i like che…he was always willing to help when he could and years ago when he worked for a car dealer here in town he wouldn’t let my mother be ripped off by the lot manager who was trying to sell her a car with 2 cracked heads and other problems….he stopped the sale and for that he had earned my respect and gratitude. i sincerly hope that all is not as it appears.
And the reason good old Che was released on his own recognizance ? So he could destroy evidence before the NCSO could get to it of course !
And why ya keeping granny in the slammer ? Seems to me that Che is the perp.
More stupidity from the DA’s office.
Funny how anyone can post what they want as long as it goes along with the views of the story.
Very enlightening.
I think its important every ones that Sandra Mcfadden was picked up on a traffic I warrant , she had in Las Vegas it had nothing to do with Che and his home, nice that every one just believes what they read..
Also I don’t see how he had a grow operation with four dead plants, come on people its no t like the cops un covered a meth lab and as far add I know all five vins that were found at the home are legal and were not stolen,….GET THE FACTS PV Times before you publish BULL!!!!!
All we can tell the public is what we’re given.
PVT
Since when did it become illegal, to scrape cars,Che just didn’t throw away five vin numbers,oppps …The paper also forgot to mention Che has a medical license for weed , …Che is not a bad person and he should make a statement to the paper to clear his name..
Has anyone heard of the cleaning of jewelry, which has become a practice at Super Pawn? I was told I could pay my interest on my lovely ring a little late, since my husband was dying. Then I was told that it had been sent out for cleaning (this was a new thing, I was told). Che had referred me to an employee, who told me this. Also, the place that cleaned jewelry could decide to keep the ring if they wanted.
I want my ring back!
(Edit: This is off-topic. Keep it to a minimum. – PVT)