courtesy of West Plains Police Department

Man charged for burglarizing Christian school

Community assistance helped local police identify a man suspected of breaking into a local private school. Jason Lynn Kassinger, 38, of West Plains, has been charged with one count of felony first-degree burglary and has been released without bond after pleading not guilty in court on October 22.
 
The investigation began on October 11, 2024, when West Plains Police officers responded to Ozark Christian Academy, located at 210 Allen Street, for a report of a suspicious man being outside the building the previous afternoon, according to court documents. A security camera video caught Kassinger entering a door on the rear of the building. The reporting party told police that a teacher had found a ceiling tile removed in the corner of her classroom and had believed he had gained entry into the school. It was discovered that a piece of metal on the outside of the school had been pried back and video showed the man moving inside. 
 
At the time of the burglary, the school was holding soccer practice at their soccer fields. Video footage shows the soccer coach entering the building while Kassinger was going through lockers and police believe that the suspect may have heard the coach, causing him to flee.
 
West Plains Police shared security footage of the suspect on social media on Oct. 11. Law enforcement received several calls from the public identifying the suspect as Kassinger. Officers contacted Kassinger by phone, where the suspect agreed to meet with police to talk about the incident but never appeared.
 
On Oct. 17, Kassinger called the West Plains Police Department and spoke with Det. Jeremy Pounders. The detective recorded in the probable cause statement that Kassinger said he was the one who broke into Ozarks Christian Academy and admitted to taking ten dollars from the front lobby and a large set of keys. He allegedly told police he disposed of the keys while he was under the influence but had forgotten where. On October 21, shortly after noon, Kassinger turned himself into police custody.
 
Kassinger has a history of burglary, first being convicted of second-degree burglary in 2005 in Ripley County and was sentenced to five years in prison. In 2013, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft/stealing in Butler Court. Kassinger is scheduled to return to court on these latest charges on November 18, 2024.
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