Rochester man nabbed on drug, receiving stolen property charges after stopped in car stolen in Tenn.

James Hartford (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - Some quick thinking by a Rochester officer out on patrol led to the arrest of a Gonic man on several charges including receiving stolen property in connection with a car stolen out of Tennessee.

The officer was out on routine patrol a little before 5 p.m. on Thursday when they watched a 2003 Nissan Ultima with Tennessee plates turn from Columbus onto South Main and the abruptly pull into the Dunkin' Donuts there.

"The officer followed him into the parking lot but didn't stop him as he had no reason, but he ran the plate as is normal for an out-of-state vehicle," Rochester Capt. Jason Thomas said today.

Within a few seconds the mobile data terminal identified the vehicle as stolen out of Knoxville, Tenn., but when the officer looked back the Nissan had already left the downtown Dunkin'.

Soon after, however, the car was located and James Roxallen Hartford, 22, of Hansonville Road, Gonic, was taken into custody.

Hartford was found to have the keys to the Nissan in his pocket, so he was charged with receiving stolen property, Thomas said. Hartford was also charged with a possession of drugs thought to be meth, a $500 bench warrant out of Rochester District Court from a 2016 case and driving after revocation or suspension.

The drug possession and receiving stolen property charges are both felonies, so Hartford was taken to Strafford County Jail pending an arraignment later today in Strafford County Superior Court.