Just before 6:00 a.m. on October 17, 2016, Yavapai County Sheriff Office deputies were dispatched to a reported robbery in Crown King. A man, later identified at Sean Sparling, 34, from Phoenix, had gone into two cabins and demanded and stole phones from the persons inside.
In one instance, Sparling threatened to kill the victims. Sparling then left and entered the Crown King Saloon. While he was inside, one of the victims spotted Sparling’s Ford Truck with an open door and was able to retrieve the stolen phones.
Sparling later left the bar and drove his truck to a residence down from the Crown King Saloon where he proceeded to get into a backhoe on the property and start driving it. When deputies arrived, witnesses directed them towards this residence where the suspect’s truck was still visible.
Deputies arrested Sparling and he denied taking any phones. The victims did confirm that Sparling was the robbery suspect. During follow-up, an employee at the Crown King saloon told deputies Sparling had been stalking a bartender for the last couple of weeks.
Inside Sparling’s truck deputies found money bags with cash taken from the Saloon along with a stolen DVR for the saloon’s camera system, and stolen clothing and cigars. Deputies discovered Sparling had forced entry into the Saloon earlier that morning by kicking open a back door and stealing the items found in his truck. Sparling also damaged multiple rooms with historical significance located above the Saloon which included kicking doors off their hinges to get inside.
Sparling was booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center on the following charges: Trespassing, Burglary, Criminal Damage (Felony), Robbery, Theft and Possession of Burglary Tools (a slim jim was found in his possession).