An Alliance man was given a jail sentence last Wednesday in Box Butte County District Court for his role in a burglary at the Mission Store in Alliance in September 2024.
Jacob Zier, 33, of Alliance, was sentenced to serve 364 days in the Box Butte County Jail, with credit for 132 days served, by Judge Travis O’Gorman for the charge of attempted burglary, a Class IIIA felony.
According to the Affidavit for Custody filed in the case, on September 13, 20224 at 12:51 a.m., Alliance Police Department Officers were dispatched to the Mission Store in reference to a burglary in progress. When officers arrived on scene, they discovered the glass door on the south side of the building was broken. When a State Trooper was en route to the Mission store, they observed three males walking around the corner near 2nd Street and Niobrara Avenue.
The trooper caught up with the individuals in the Grocery Kart parking lot, seeing that they were carrying clothing.
“Several of the clothing articles had tags on them that are the same tags on other clothing left in the store,” the Affidavit said.
Zier was identified as one of the individuals, and was given his Miranda warnings with the other two individuals, who were identified as Julian Poor Bear and Andrew Flye III. An APD officer, according to the Affidavit, interviewed Zier, who agreed to answer questions.
“Jacob stated he was out for a walk with Andrew and Julian and they came across a pile of clothing down the street from the Mission Store,” the Affidavit said. “Jacob mentioned the broken door of the Mission store before I asked him about it. He stated none of them broke it. Jacob asked about a shopping spree and he responded stating he was not shopping because shopping is when you pay for the clothing.”
By interviewing Flye, according to the Affidavit, officers learned that the door was broken with a large rock. Officers also found several items of clothing leading from the Mission Store to the Grocery Kart parking lot where the three individuals were located.