Bryan Man Confesses To Serial Self-Storage Robberies
In a turn of events, John Obanion, a 39-year-old man from Bryan, has been sentenced to a 12-year prison term after he confessed to have committed 11 burglaries at a self-storage business in Wixon Valley.
A Thorough Investigation Uncovers the Truth
These burglaries occurred in September 2023, and immediate enforcement actions were initiated by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office which led to the discovery of the suspect, revealed the Brazos County DA’s Office. The identification of the suspect was made possible, thanks to the surveillance footage gathered from several security cameras deployed in the vicinity of the storage facility.
Confession and Plea Agreement
In an official court appearance on April 10th, the accused, John Obanion, accepted the charges against him. He admitted to all the 11 burglaries that happened in the self-storage business. The plea agreement, which was signed between the prosecutors and Obanion, led to his 12-year-long prison sentence.
Previous Criminal History and Prosecution
It is noteworthy that, at the time of these burglaries, Obanion was on parole for a controlled substance possession. Consequently, this will be his fourth time since 2011, getting sent back to state prison or jail. Apart from the conviction of possession, Obanion also served time in the past for family violence assault with prior convictions and felony theft. Despite pleading guilty to all 11 burglaries, he was prosecuted on three of the break-ins.
Evidence Found at the Scene
Obanion, in two separate attempts to rob the Wixon Valley Mini Storage, looted multiple items. During his first raid, he forcefully entered three storage units by cutting the locks using bolt cutters. Hours later, he returned to rob some more storage units. Collectively from both these instances, Obanion stole a Ryobi Auger, a 55-inch Samsung curved TV, a 20-inch regular TV, a toolbox, a circular saw, and an angle grinder amongst other items. With the help of law enforcement, all the stolen items were recovered and returned to the respective owners.
Evidence Found and Seized at Obanion’s Residence
After the robberies, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office were contacted by the owner of the storage facility. Post reviewing the surveillance footage, officers managed to secure a search warrant for Obanion’s residence. During the execution of the warrant, officers found and seized all stolen property.
Enhanced Punishment Due to Criminal History
While the crime of a Building Burglary is normally considered a state jail felony, due to Obanion’s extensive and serious criminal history, his punishment was enhanced to a 2nd-degree felony. It’s worth mentioning that he was already on parole for a prior possession of a controlled substance conviction when these crimes occurred.
Following the development, assistant Brazos County district attorney Rachel Porter made a statement condemning Obanion’s actions. She stated, “The defendant stole from honest, hard working people on multiple occasions. This defendant has chosen to make a habit out of committing crimes in Brazos County and that behavior will not be tolerated.”
