CASPER — A 53-year-old Casper man has been accused of stealing more than $138,000 in vehicle parts from his employer over the course of nearly six years.
Defense attorney Ryan Semerad confirmed Tuesday morning that his client David Eugene Osborn turned himself in after learning that the warrant issued by Casper Circuit Court for his arrest on Friday had become active.
Osborn is charged with five counts of theft for more than $1,000 between December 2018 and July 15, 2024, at Extreme Truck Outfitters in Casper.
The owner of Extreme Truck Outfitters contacted Casper Police in January following an audit, alleging that Osborn had stolen from him while working there.
The owner told a detective assigned to the case that Osborn worked at a previous business he owned, and when he founded Extreme Truck Outfitters, he appointed Osborn as general manager.
Osborn hired a family member to work for the company, and the owner stated that the employee was let go in February 2022 for reasons unrelated to the alleged thefts.
In late 2023, the owner launched an audit of the company after noticing that, despite good sales, cash flow was irregular. This is when he discovered the alleged theft. In July 2024, the owner confronted Osborn about the audit findings.
“(The owner) explained that (Osborn) was ordering parts from the company and installing them on his personal vehicles,” according to an affidavit in Osborn’s court file. “While (Osborn) would partially pay for some of the products, in the majority of the instances, (Osborn) would outright steal and not pay for the product at all.”
Discrepancies
The owner also claimed that he discovered payroll discrepancies in which Osborn paid himself more for jobs and increased his holiday pay without the owner’s approval.
The owner informed the detective that he was aware of “several instances” in which customers paid cash for services, and Osborn allegedly discarded the invoice and kept the cash for himself.
A folder of documents presented to the detective detailed how Osborn, his family members, and friends benefited, and how their vehicles were outfitted with company parts at the company’s cost.
The owner told the detective that the company policy, which Osborn signed and understood, allowed employees to order parts at wholesale prices and pay for them within 30 days. The components could not be installed during working hours.
According to the affidavit, the owner gave the detective a folder containing photographs of Osborn’s Facebook posts about his Ford-250 truck from April 24, 2022 to May 4, 2022.
“David mentions that he had installed new wheels and tonneau cover on the vehicle,” the affidavit states. “(The owner) advised those items had been ordered by (Osborn) and had not been paid for, according to the audit.”
The audit revealed that the wheels, tonneau cover, chrome window vent visors, bed rails, mud flaps, “Super Duty” emblem, side box steps, light grille, license plate bracket, floor mats, dash cover, a new upgraded exhaust system, and in-bed toolbox were not paid for, according to the affidavit.
The owner claimed Osborn owned and sold a black Ford F-150 that had been accessorized and upgraded with stolen items paid for by the company, including wheels, tires, a leveling kit, chrome nerf bars, LED tail lamps, a rear light bar, a new exhaust system, and much more, according to the affidavit.
Osborn also purchased a yellow Chevrolet Camaro and had a supercharger installed on it.
“The supercharger had been charged to the company, and David paid no money for it,” the affidavit states.
Family Benefits
According to the affidavit, Osborn’s family had several vehicles with stolen items on them, including an F-250, Polaris utility vehicle, Polaris four-wheeler, camp trailer, 2022 car trailer, two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Camaro, a 2018 Ford Explorer, and a black 1978 F-250.
According to the owner, one of Osborn’s family members owned a 2015 Dodge Dart and a maroon F-150, as well as a 1982 F-250 and a red 2017 Ford Edge, all of which contained stolen parts.
The affidavit also alleges that Osborn purchased a $2,200 refrigerator for a family member’s camper and charged him $800.
He also engaged in “buddy deals” with others, in which he sold them items at a discount in exchange for personal favors or other trades, the owner told police.
Osborn also asked the owner if he could sell a 2000 Dodge Dakota that was traded in to a family member.
The owner agreed to let Osborn do so if he paid the $1,200 that represented the trade deal and the company’s investment.
According to the affidavit, Osborn allegedly sold it to the family member for $900 and allowed the installation of a new battery as well as the replacement of several unpaid for parts.
According to the affidavit, when the owner confronted Osborn with the audit results in July 2024, he recorded the conversation and turned it over to the police.
The affidavit states that in the recording, Osborn can be heard saying that he “did not make the right choices or go down the right path.”
“It just seems like it’s been one thing after another,” Osborn allegedly stated. “My wants, versus my budget, and everything spiraled out of control.”
According to the affidavit, after being fired, Osborn promised to repay the owner’s losses.
Osborn left his toolbox and wheels as partial payment, but when the owner opened the toolbox, he discovered several stolen tools, according to the affidavit.
As the investigation progressed, the business owner informed the detective in February that Osborn was selling vehicles with stolen parts and provided documentation.
Search Warrant
Casper police executed a search warrant at Osborn’s residence and recovered a red 2022 Ford-250, yellow 2014 Camaro, White 2021 Grand Design Camper Trailer, Black 2023 Big Tex Flatbed Trailer, Polaris General UTV, Polaris Motorcycle, Red 2017 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and racing jacket.
According to the affidavit, Osborn told police that they returned “$35,000” to the owner.
A mechanic from the city of Casper examined the vehicles seized during the search warrant and discovered that each one had at least one stolen part.
The stolen parts found on the vehicles totaled $34,577. According to the affidavit, the mechanic stated that there were likely more, but this would necessitate further disassembly of the vehicles.
Semerad stated that the court agreed to his request for a $5,000 cash-only bond. He expected Osborn to be bonded out by the end of the day.
Each of the five counts of theft for more than $1,000 carries a potential 10-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.
