James Brenner is a Utah man who has been named as a suspect in the disappearance of Dylan Rounds.
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James Brenner, Dylan Rounds Suspect: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
James Brenner is a Utah felon who has been named as a suspect in the disappearance of Dylan Rounds, a missing
farmer whose family has offered a large reward after he vanished into thin air in May 2022.
Brenner, Rounds’ neighbor, was named by authorities in July,
according to The Jefferson Star. James Brenner, 58, is in federal custody on firearms charges, the newspaper reports.
1. Brenner Was Squatting on Land Near Rounds’ Farm, Authorities Say
According to the affidavit, the shelter for the grain truck was reported to be on a parcel of land owned by Box Elder Land and Livestock (owner initials J.C.) and “is adjacent to two other parcels that are owned by S.H. and R.I. These parcels are open to each other and collectively used together.”
Brenner has no ownership in the land parcels mentioned and is “squatting” in a trailer located on the land, the affidavit states. “The missing 19-year-old male D.R.’s property is a 5 mile walk towards the southeast of where Brenner was currently living,” the affidavit says.
2. Brenner Was Interviewed by Authorities in Connection With Rounds’ Disappearance
According to the affidavit, Brenner and another Lucin resident, D.H., were considered “family friends” of D.R. and his family. “In searching for the missing 19-year-old male, Brenner was interviewed by BECSO on June 7, 2022. D.H. was also subsequently interviewed by law enforcement…On or about June 11, 2022, Box Elder County in their search for the missing 19-year-old male D.R., requested assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Davis County Sheriff’s office,” the affidavit says.
On June 16, 2022, BECSO, with the assistance of the FBI, “executed a search warrant at the trailer where Brenner was living. During that search, ball ammunition, ignition caps, black powder, and speed loads, all related to ‘muzzle loading’ were located and photographed in the trailer, but the items were not seized at this time by BECSO,” it continues. “There were no muzzle loader firearms located in the trailer at that time.”
On June 20, 2022, a friend and neighbor of Brenner, D.H. was interviewed by BECSO and the FBI. “During that interview, D.H. advised that after D.R. went missing, and sometime after Brenner’s initial June 7, 2022, interview with BECSO, Brenner brought three black powder guns over to D.H.’s residence and asked him to ‘safekeep’ them,” the affidavit alleges.
When D.H. asked ‘why,’ Brenner “stated that he needed to do this for ‘his own safety’ and that ‘the last time he had trouble with the law they took everything from him, and he did not want the things he had left to be taken again,'” it reads. “D.H. agreed to store the muzzle loaders for him. At the time of the interview D.H, turned over the three muzzle loaders to BECSO who booked them into evidence.”
On June 21, 2022, D.H. was again interviewed by the FBI. During this interview, D.H. “advised that Brenner had also brought him a .22 caliber rifle around the same time he had brought over the muzzle loaders. D.H. told us that he didn’t mention the .22 rifle when interviewed before because he had been owed money by the rifle’s original owner and that he felt that he should have a claim over the .22 rifle that Brenner asked him to store, to cover the debt.”
The affidavit further alleges:
He explained to us that the rifle had been left in a trailer on the property where Brenner had been living, prior to Brenner living there, by a person who owed D.H. money. Brenner upon moving into the trailer had taken possession of it. D.H. knew that Brenner wasn’t allowed to have firearms because of his criminal history. D.H. turned over to the FBI the .22 rifle and case that Brenner had personally handed to him and had asked him to store. The rifle was loaded with 5 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.
The .22 caliber rifle is a Winchester Model 69, 22 S.L.ORL. On the rifle it says ‘Made in New Haven Conn.’ No serial number was located.
On June 21, 2022, another search warrant was conducted at the trailer where Brenner was currently living. During this warrant, BECSO seized a muzzle loader, one box of .45 lead round ball ammunition, one box of Spear .570 lead ball, one box of Federal .45 lead ball ammunition, ignition caps, 4 pounds of Hornady black powder, and speed loads and booked them into evidence.
3. Brenner Was Previously Convicted of Felonies, Including a Gun Charge
On May 21, 2012, James Brenner “was sentenced to 33 months in prison for a conviction of felon in possession of a firearm. Brenner also has additional felony convictions on his criminal history,” the affidavit says.
Daily Beast reports that Brenner’s criminal history includes “malicious wounding, malicious shooting” and multiple charges of felon in possession of a firearm.
According to East Idaho News, more details came out at Brenner’s detention hearing on the federal gun charge, with prosecutors labeling him dangerous.
That site reports that he has an “outstanding warrant from Box Elder County where he allegedly beat up a man using a lawn chair. And he also served time for attempted murder.”
“Oh he has a lengthy history of violence,” said deputy U.S. attorney Carlos Esqueda at that hearing, according to East Idaho News. “He had a shoot-out before. He has a history of shooting at people and despite that, he’s a convicted felon. He continues to carry firearms.”
Brenner’s attorney countered that the attempted murder charge was thirty years ago and dropped to “malicious shooting.” She said “he had two gun violations over the past 30 years,” East Idaho News reported.
Brenner was denied bail.
4. Brenner Helped on the Farm of Rounds, Who Was Described as ‘Strong-headed’ & Passionate
Cooley, Rounds’ mother,
described him in a Facebook post as “one of the best 19 year olds, hardworking, passionate and strong headed.”
According to East Idaho News, Rounds’ mother says Brenner “often helped her son at his farm.”
5. Rounds’ Boots Were Located
A few clues have emerged.
ABC4 reported that his family found his truck on Memorial Day and it had not been moved, but, oddly, it had been power washed.
“His boots were found a short distance from the farm property and they’re now being analyzed,” the station reported.
Rounds’ mother told East Idaho News that his boots “were found near where Brenner was staying on her son’s property.”
“It looked like they were just tossed out there,” mother Candice Cooley said to that news outlet.
According to Local News 8, the boots were located “behind a dirt pile, 100 yards from where his grain truck was parked.”
www.eastidahonews.com
