Police arrest six following raid of 33rd Avenue SW residence

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man charged with theft weeks after police stopped him in a stolen vehicle is one of six people arrested Thursday when police searched a home in the southwest quadrant.

According to a criminal complaint, Travis E. Vomacka, 37, was arrested Thursday on a charge of first-degree theft following a March 20 traffic stop.

Vomacka was stopped March 20 by police about 3 p.m. at Eighth Avenue SE and Ninth Street SE driving a stolen 2016 Dodge Ram truck, according to a criminal complaint. During the stop, police also determined license plates on the truck were dealer plates stolen from Billion Auto, the complaint said.

'Vomacka was brought to the police department for questioning, (but) further investigation was required to demonstrate that Vomacka was unlawfully in possession of the stolen vehicle,” Public Safety spokesperson Greg Buelow said in an email.

The criminal complaint states Vomacka's fingerprints were found on the dealer plates.

Officers arrested Vomacka on Thursday at a home in the 2900 block of 33rd Avenue SW. Vomacka was one of six people arrested at the home, where narcotics and stolen property, including a vehicle and firearm, were recovered, according to the complaint.

The homeowner, Mathew Wharton, 27, was arrested on federal charges, but police would not specify the nature of those charges.

The others arrested were:

' McKenna A. Brockmeyer, 19, arrested on a failure to appear for fifth-degree theft in Jones County.

' Meshawn Rae Laman, 25, arrested on a return of mittimus - an order to return to jail - for a probation violation stemming from a conviction of operating while intoxicated.

' Christopher W. Oddo, 47, arrested on a failure to appear for animal neglect and abandonment of cats and dogs and a failure to appear on drug-related charges.

' Tyler John Minor, 23, arrested for a probation violation.

Buelow said an investigation is ongoing and additional charges are likely.

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