Tennessee man faces various charges in connection to vehicle thefts in New Madrid, Scott counties

Corterian L. Wright

NEW MADRID, Mo. — A Memphis, Tennessee, man is facing an array of charges in connection with a series of thefts from vehicles in New Madrid and Scott counties.

Corterian L. Wright, 40, is charged with 12 counts of first degree felony property damage, two counts of felony stealing and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, which is also a felony. He is currently being held in the Mississippi County Jail with no bond set.

According to a news release from the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department, at approximately 2:21 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24 the Department received a call that a person was breaking windows of vehicles in the parking lot of Corteva located on State Highway 61. The caller provided deputies with a photo of the vehicle which matched the description of the vehicle involved in a property damage and stealing investigation under way in Matthews, Missouri.

Earlier in the day a suspect driving a dark-colored four-door car had broken windows of several vehicles in the Bayer parking. The suspect also stole several items from the employees’ vehicles.

During the investigation officers learned the same suspect vehicle was seen at several businesses in Sikeston and rural Scott County where several vehicles also had windows broken and items stolen.

New Madrid County Sheriff's deputies and New Madrid police officers began a search of the area and the vehicle was located in New Madrid. A traffic stop was conducted on the suspect vehicle and Wright was taken into custody.

While conducting the traffic stop, New Madrid County Sheriff’s officers received a call from Cargill reporting several employees’ vehicles also had windows broken and items missing. In a surveillance video, officers observed a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle

After a search warrant was obtained on the vehicle, several items reported stolen earlier in the day were located.

Sheriff Bud Cooper expressed his thanks to the Matthews Police Department, New Madrid Police Department, Portageville Police Department and Scott County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with the case.