The Michigan State Police in Lakeview arrested two Cedar Springs men Sunday, July 31, for break-ins in Howard City and Pierson.

MSP responded to a breaking and entering at RJs Party Store at 214 S. Ensley St., in Howard City at 7 a.m. and then another breaking and entering at the Pierson Mobil store on Cannonsville Road in Pierson a short time later.

Troopers watched surveillance video from RJ’s and identified a white Pontiac minivan as the suspect vehicle that was parked in front of the store. A white male was seen breaking the front door window with a crow bar and carrying cigarettes and alcohol from the store. The registration on the Pontiac minivan came back to a residence on Linda Street in Cedar Springs Mobile Estates.
Troopers went to the residence and were assisted by MSP Rockford, the Kent County Sheriff Department, and the Cedar Springs Police Department. There they recovered cigarettes and alcohol and arrested two men on felony breaking and entering charges.

Rodney Franks

Ronald Slone

Arrested and arraigned in Montcalm County 64-B District Court was Ronald Lloyd Slone, 52, and Rodney Allan Franks, 30. Both have criminal records. Slone has done time for a string of breaking and enterings dating back to 1982, including crimes in Jackson, Calhoun, Wayne, Livingston, Kent, Allegan, VanBuren and Barry counties. He was paroled in 2009.

Franks spent 11 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct first degree, and was discharged in December 2010.

Both men were arraigned on two counts of Breaking and Entering. Slone’s bond was set at $50,000 cash/surety, and Franks at $20,000 cash/surety. They both have a preliminary hearing set for August 8 at 1 p.m.