SNOWFLAKE- A Snowflake man was arrested in connection to multiple arsons and other crimes including the torching of the SUSD announcer booth. The crimes began in 2016 in the Snowflake area.
On February 19, at about 11:30 pm, a Snowflake-Taylor Police officer located a golf cart driving around the area of 400 West and Center Street in Taylor with no lights. When the officer tried to stop the golf cart, the driver began an attempt to evade the police. The driver, Bryon Begay, a 33-year-old male, was unsuccessful in this attempt and was apprehended as he tried to make his way home.
During the arrest, officers noticed the shoes Begay was wearing appeared to be a match to several shoe prints that had been found at the scene of several arsons and burglaries within the Snowflake area. Detectives were called to assist with interviewing Begay regarding the shoe prints and his possible connection to other criminal investigations.
During the investigation and subsequent interview, Begay admitted involvement in over 15 criminal investigations stemming back to 2016. These cases include multiple arsons, burglaries, and other thefts including the arson of the Snowflake High School football field announcer’s booth, the announcer’s booth at Fredrickson Park as well as several unoccupied or vacant homes in Snowflake.
Chief Robert Martin of the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department stated, “This arrest signifies the end of several years of frustration for our community and the police department. We have waited for many years to catch a break with these cases and put an end to the many arsons our community has endured. I am proud of the work my officers and detectives were able to accomplish in piecing together so many cases, many of which happened before they even started working for the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department. I would like to thank Chief Willie Nelson of the Taylor-Snowflake Fire/EMS Department for his assistance and expertise during these investigations also. Multiple cases have been referred to the Navajo County Attorney’s Office for prosecution; the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty.