The convictions follow the swift investigation and arrest of the Walta brothers by the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO). Pye was later apprehended by the U.S. Marshals service.
Brian N. Walta, 32, received a presumptive range sentence of 17 to 30 months active in N.C. prisons. His charges originally included Felony Breaking and Entering, Felony Larceny After Breaking and Entering, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Breaking and Entering a Motor Vehicle, two counts of conspiracy to commit felony larceny, and injury to personal property, among others.
Joshua F. Walta, 29, received a presumptive range sentence of 18 to 31 months active in N.C. prisons. His charges originally included Felony Breaking and Entering, Felony Larceny, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, two counts of conspiracy to commit felony larceny, and felony breaking and entering of a motor vehicle.
Both Walta brothers will be released to serve supervised probationary sentences after service of their active prison terms.
Marshall A. Pye received a presumptive range sentence of 16 to 29 months active in N.C. prisons. His charges originally included Felony Larceny, Conspiracy to Commit Felony Larceny, and post-release supervision violations in Buncombe County and Alabama.
The incidents, which were reported in February of this year, involved the forced entry at the Buncombe County Schools Family Resource Center in Candler and the larceny of items from several school buses at Enka High School. Following a comprehensive investigation, Detectives with BCSO charged Brian Walta, Joshua Walta, and Marshall Pye. The BCSO was also successful in recovering a significant amount of the stolen property, which included numerous brand-name winter jackets (such as Michael Kors and FILA) intended for donation post-Hurricane Helene, with a substantial estimated retail value of approximately $49,000.
“When individuals exploit a crisis through theft and fraud and compromise a vital public resource like our school system, this Office will act. We will seek accountability — likely prison terms — from anyone who seeks to profit from the hardship and trauma created by a natural disaster like Hurricane Helene,” District Attorney Todd Williams said.