Four individuals were arrested in an ongoing investigation into the theft of snow machines in the Soldotna area that began mid-February by the Alaska State Trooper Criminal Suppression Detail.

It was on February 18th that Alaska State Troopers were notified that an Arctic Cat snow machine was stolen from the area of Echo Lake Road in the Soldotna area. By February 25th, troopers identified a potential suspect in the case. On February 27th, troopers contacted 26-year-old John King of Kenai in connection with the theft.

Following contact, another snow machine, a 2008 Yamaha Raptor, was discovered on the property. That machine was also reported as stolen.

King was arrested and charged with two counts of Vehicle Theft I, two counts of Vehicle Theft II, two counts of Theft II, two counts of Hindering Prosecution and a count of Tampering with Physical Evidence.

Following King’s arrest, troopers would continue their investigation and traveled to mile 23 of the Kenai Spur Highway in Nikiski. At that location, troopers were able to recover the stolen Arctic Cat machine. After the machine’s recovery, troopers arrested 29-year-old Nikiski resident Michael Roza on charges of Vehicle Theft I and II, Theft II, Criminal Mischief III, Tampering with Physical Evidence and Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance IV.

While at the residence, troopers would also contact 31-year-old Kenai resident Jared Meader. It would be found that Meader was wanted on several warrants. In addition to the warrant arrest, Meader was also arrested on charges of Misconduct Involving Controlled Substance IV, and Misconduct Involving Weapons II and V.

Another male at the residence, 59-year-old Craig Canova was also contacted and found to have outstanding warrants for his arrest.

All four were transported to the Wildwood Pretrial Facility, where they were remanded and held without bail.

  arrests, crime suppression detail, investigation, kenai peninsula, nikiski, snow machine, soldotna, theft