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Woman nabbed for selling 'hot' dogs
 Friday September 3, 2004

By Barry Porterfield
Staff Writer

An undercover operation using the e-mail as its tool concluded Thursday with a Marlow woman being taken into custody for conducting what appeared to be an elaborate scheme of selling stolen dogs.

Arrested by Garvin County authorities was April Wood, 23, who now faces a felony charge of stealing a breeding dog from a rural Elmore City residence last month.

Wood's arrest came after such technological advancements as the Internet and e-mail led county deputies to their suspect and ultimately helped them set up Thursday's arrest at a Pauls Valley convenience store.

The tale with some twists and turns began on Aug. 18 when the county sheriff's office was contacted by an Elmore City resident claiming her registered miniature Australian Shephard named Jazzmine - a female reportedly worth hundreds of dollars - had been stolen the day before.

The resident said she and her family had received a series of phone calls and even one visit to her home over the previous two weeks from a woman wanting to know more about dogs.

The woman is believed to be Wood, said Sgt. Chad Hillis of the Garvin County Sheriff's Department.

Hillis said a development in the case came Monday when he was told by the Elmore City resident that she had located her stolen dog in Lawton.

The discovery came when she went on-line and visited a web site featuring dogs. There she saw a photo of a dog stolen from a Lawton woman, who had placed the picture on the site hoping to learn more about the animal's location.

As the two women began to talk to each other about their stolen dogs, the Lawton resident offered the startling news that she had in her possession the animal stolen from Elmore City.

According to Hillis, the woman claimed to meet with Wood on Aug. 24.

There she reported giving Wood two of her dogs in exchange for one dog, which she didn't know at the time was stolen.

The dog turned out to be that animal earlier taken from a fenced area at the rural Garvin County home, Hillis said.

Six days later Hillis met with the Lawton woman and took possession of the stolen dog, which was returned to its Elmore City owners.

With all this information in hand Hillis then used the same web site as a way of baiting the suspect.

The deputy's efforts paid off as an e-mail conversation was initiated with Wood.

Posing as a father interested in buying a dog for his son's fifth birthday, Hillis arranged to meet Wood at a local store near Interstate 35 and state Highway 19.

Wood, who brought two dogs to sell to the prospective buyer, was taken into custody shortly after arriving at the local site late Thursday afternoon.

We got our puppy back late Thursday night. He had been taken from his mother when he was only 4 weeks old.  The puppy was taken on Saturday night.  He was tired, hungry and dehydrated but with a little TLC he came right back around.  We never expected to actually find him!  I happened to put a picture of him on the front page of my website stating that he was stolen asking for help of anyone who knew anything or might see him advertised.  Within an hour, a breeder from Elmore City called me saying she'd had a dog stolen too that we should work together to find who was stealing 'mini aussies'.  As soon as she described the dog she'd had stolen I knew I had her 'Jazzie'.  Thanks to the internet, other breeders and especially Deputy Chad Hillis, April has been caught and for right now is behind bars.  I wish it didn't have to happen this way, but hopefully we won't have to worry anymore!  We've invested in a great security system we found at X10.com and I guess the days of leaving the house without locking the doors is over.  Thank you everyone who helped and was concerned! I did get a lot of emails when I had him posted stolen.  Thank you for your prayers.  We're happy to have our three dogs back!  If you have gotten an email or purchased a dog from a WildFireAussies email address lately let us know, she may have stolen more than we know!  UPDATE:  She now goes by SILVER CREEK KENNEL!  SHE ALSO GOES BY OTHER NAMES! EMAIL ME FOR A LIst OF NAMES I KNOW SHE USES...!! BEWARE! 
UPDATE again...she changes her kennel name on a regular basis...as of right now, it is SUGAR CREEK KENNELS.  Usually the same initials.  SCK.
       Lindsey Porter                  
UPDATE:  April and her family are selling puppies online.  Remember she is in Marlow/Duncan, Okla.  She may also go by the last name Hassler or anything else she might make up.  Be aware, I wish I'd been warned. If you purchase a puppy that was stolen it can be taken from you with no money back to you.  BE CAREFUL! Contact me for more information! I'll give

 you the name, website address and details!

580-492-5718 or 580-695-7711. Email PorterHorseSales@aol.com 
Updated May 20, 2005

This boy was stolen from mom at 4wks.  He's doing fine now that he's home where we know how to take care of him!  Thank God we got him back when we did.