2 charged in Iron County burglaries

HURLEY — A pair of men are facing charges related to a number of burglaries in the region, including two in southern Iron County, the Iron County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.

Larry J. Rush, 65, of Park Falls is charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of theft and two misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property in connection to alleged burglaries in the Mercer and Springstead areas.

Steven G. Martin, 28, of Success, Arkansas, is charged with felony counts of burglary and theft, as well as a misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property in relation to the alleged Springstead burglary.

ICSO deputies responded to a report of a burglary at the Frontier Inn in the town of Sherman Sept. 8 where cash and various other items had allegedly been taken overnight, according to an ICSO news release.

On Oct. 2, deputies responded to a report of a burglary at Tom’s Cafe in Mercer where cash and other items, including a commercial deep fryer, were allegedly taken.

A suspect vehicle was identified based on an analysis of area surveillance photos, according to the news release. Iron County investigators Lt. Matt Foryan and Sgt. Michael Randall worked with agencies in Sawyer, Price and Ashland counties to investigate the cases — eventually executing a search warrant in the town of Butternut on Oct. 9 where evidence of both burglaries was allegedly recovered.

Both Martin and Rush are in custody in Sawyer County, according to the news release. They face other charges for crimes they allegedly committed in Sawyer and Ashland counties.

—Richard Jenkins