By KALIN KROHE
Panhandle Post
39-year-old Chad Kelley was sentenced recently for felonies he committed in Box Butte and Scotts Bluff Counties.
Kelley was sentenced to serve 5-10 years in prison for a BNSF burglary charge by Box Butte County District Court Judge Travis O’Gorman. He was credited for 87 days served. He was also sentenced to serve 30 days for a charge of failure to appear in court.
According to court proceedings, if Kelley loses no good time in prison, he will be eligible for parole in two years and four months, with a mandatory discharge in five years.
These charges come from burglaries at the BNSF Railway maintenance building on June 20 and 21.
Kelley stole an impact wrench from a BNSF truck inside a locked garage. Video footage also revealed Kelley trying to break open a vending machine inside the building and stealing multiple items inside the building.
A BNSF supervisor told police that Kelley was fired from the company in 2020.
On June 13 and 14, Kelley stole other items from the BNSF maintenance building.
Kelley was also sentenced to serve 90 days in jail by Scotts Bluff County District Court Judge Leo Dobrovolny for stealing a vehicle. He was with credited for 71 days served already. His license will be revoked for a period of two years.
On Aug. 19 at 6:35 p.m. Scottsbluff police officers investigated a report of a stolen vehicle in the 1200 block of 11th Avenue.
At approximately 6:51 p.m. officers located the stolen vehicle traveling in the area of 7th Avenue and East Overland Drive.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle. 38-year-old Chad Kelley of Alliance failed to pull over and lead the officers on a vehicle pursuit.
Kelley drove around the Uptown Scottsbluff Mall and ran through business barricades in the K-Mart parking lot before traveling west towards the Scottsbluff High School.
Kelley drove through the parking lot of the Scottsbluff High School and through another barricade. Scottsbluff police said the pursuit was called off at that time due to school activities taking place.
"The pursuit was reinitiated near Broadway and 23rd Street after the suspect drove through a stop sign," Scottsbluff Police Sergeant Tyler Fliam said. "The suspect abandoned the stolen vehicle in the 300 block of W 21st Street and ran on foot. Officers located the suspect hiding in a vacant apartment in the 1900 block of 3rd Avenue with the assistance of K-9 Duke and nearby citizens."