The stepson of a successful Sampson County restaurant owner was arrested after allegedly stealing property from his stepfather’s residence on Aug. 9.

Eric Franklin Gautier, 32, of 253 Green Tree Lane, Clinton, was charged with breaking and entering; larceny after breaking and entering; possession of stolen goods/property; safe cracking; and possession of a firearm by a felon Monday after investigators linked him to the early August crime.

According to reports from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Gautier’s stepfather returned to his home, which was down the block from Gautier, on Aug. 9 from a shopping excursion with his wife and granddaughter to find four guns missing valued at over $10,000; a undisclosed amount of cash from a home safe and a four-wheeler valued at $7,100.

Investigators arrested Gautier on the job at the restaurant his stepfather owns in Roseboro Monday at 1:20 p.m.

He was given a $15,000 bond and a trial date of Sept. 3.

According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections, Gautier has a history of convictions dating back to September 1997. Those convictions include: breaking and entering motor vehicles (September 1997); forgery (August 1998); larceny and felony breaking and entering (September 1997); and felony breaking and entering and larceny (July 2003).

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@heartlandpublications.com.