Lexington, SC – Lexington Police Chief Terrence Green said Monday the two men wanted in a burglary, kidnapping, and car theft in Lexington are the two that were taken into custody last week in Alabama. Christian Neal Brown, age 30 of New York, New York, and Michael Antonio Priester, age 21 of Columbia, South Carolina, have been arrested and warrants issued for their involvement in the crimes that occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 19, 2019.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to a residence on the 100 block of Martel Drive for a burglary that had just occurred. Officers met with a female victim who stated that two unknown male subjects, who have been identified as Christian Brown and Michael Priester, had forced their way into her home through the back door. The subjects then came into her bedroom and held her there while they stole several items from her. The burglars took the keys to the victim’s dark grey 2013 Honda Civic and fled from the scene.
During the course of the investigation, detectives found evidence of where the suspects used the victim’s credit card and then on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, they were notified by the Auburn Police Department that Christian Brown and Michael Priester were in custody and that the victim’s vehicle had been recovered. Detectives of the Lexington Police Department went to the Lee County Detention Center in Alabama to interview the suspects and also processed the vehicle where evidence was collected from the burglary and kidnapping incident. Christian Brown will be charged with Burglary 1st Degree, Kidnapping, Grand Larceny, Financial Identity Fraud, Financial Transaction Card Theft, Criminal Conspiracy and Armed Robby.
Michael Priester will be charged with Burglary 1st Degree, Kidnapping, Grand Larceny, Criminal Conspiracy, Financial Transaction Card Theft and Armed Robbery.
Warrants have been issued for Christian Brown and Michael Priester and they will be extradited to the Lexington County Detention Center in Lexington, South Carolina when their pending charges with the Auburn Police Department in Alabama have been adjudicated.
