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Buffington's bail set at $20,000
Justina Buffington, 40, of Reardan, plead not-guilty during her arraignment in Lincoln County Superior Court, Tuesday, March 18.
REARDAN - A local woman is being held on $20,000 bail in connection with a burglary.
Justina Buffington, 40, was arraigned in Lincoln County Superior Court in Davenport on Tuesday, March 18, charged with residential burglary, second-degree theft and third-degree malicious mischief.
She pleaded not guilty.
She remained restrained during the hearing.
The judge determined she qualified for a public defender, records show.
Her trial is scheduled for June 11, with a readiness hearing set for May 20.
Prosecuting attorneys requested a minimum bail of $1,000 surety bond, citing the nature of the charges, and asked that Buffington address outstanding warrants, records show..
Buffington was arrested at about 12:27 a.m. March 8 after a Lincoln County Sheriff's Office deputy spotted a white minivan parked outside an unoccupied residence at 515 N.E. Main St. in Wilbur.
The home was subject to regular security checks due to prior break-in attempts, records show..
According to the arrest report, the deputy observed the front door open and a woman, later identified as Buffington, exiting the house.
When questioned, Buffington claimed she had been hired via a Craigslist ad by a person named "Anderson" to clean out the property, records show. However, Virginia Roberts, who requested the security checks, confirmed that only a man named Tanner Roberts had permission to access the home.
Records show Buff-ington was unable to provide evidence supporting her claim.
A records check revealed an active warrant for driving with a suspended license.
She was arrested and, upon a search of her vehicle, allegedly admitted that all of the items inside had come from the house, records show..
Inside the residence, deputies discovered that a wooden bar securing the front door had been forcibly removed, with the door frame showing signs of prying, records show.
Buffington's criminal history includes six prior felonies, including multiple burglary and theft convictions, records show.
Her vehicle was impounded and secured for a search warrant.
Buffington was transported to Lincoln County Jail, where she was booked on the burglary, theft, and malicious mischief charges.
Olivia Harnack is the award-winning managing editor/photographer/videographer/columnist at the Lincoln County Record-Times, with offices in both Davenport and Odessa, Wash. She is a University of Idaho graduate and a U.S. Army National Guardsman.
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