Troy man accused of stealing boat jailed

A Troy man accused of stealing a boat and driving on a suspended license was taken into custody earlier this week.

Travis Wade Pefferman, 39, failed to appear for arraignment on the charges on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 in Lincoln County District Court.

District Judge Matt Cuffe ordered a $30,000 warrant be issued for Pefferman’s arrest.

According to Lincoln County Detention Center officials, Pefferman was brought into the jail Tuesday night.

Pefferman is charged with felony theft and two misdemeanors, criminal trespass and driving on a suspended license, following the July 21 incident in Troy.

According to court documents, Troy Police Officer Travis Miller spoke with the owner of a computer store who said Pefferman had trespassed on the property on July 21. Pefferman was served a no trespass order earlier this year. The store owner showed Miller video footage and the officer saw Pefferman drive up to the store in a 1990s blue Nissan pickup and pulling a boat.

Miller wrote in his report that Pefferman had a suspended driver’s license and had stolen a boat. The boat owner didn’t want to file charges and told Pefferman not to take the boat.

Shortly after seeing the video footage, Miller was told by dispatch that the boat owner called again and said his boat was missing again. The boat owner said later that day a friend saw Pefferman driving around with the boat.

The friend retrieved the boat and returned it to the owner. The owner told Miller he wanted to press charges.

On July 27, Miller found Pefferman and issued a notice to appear in court. Miller wrote that the defendant had three other driving while suspended convictions.

Conviction for felony theft may result in a three-year maximum sentence in the Montana State Prison. The misdemeanor convictions could result in six-month sentences in the county jail.