Tahoe thieves appear in Douglas court

A California man who was sent to prison after he was arrested for burglary as residents of South Lake Tahoe were returning home from evacuations last year appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday.

Joseph Donald Dykes, 39, admitted to possession of a credit card without the owner’s permission and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.

Dykes, 39, was seen on security video at the Home Depot and Topsy Walmart purchasing $1,113.24 in merchandise using a credit card stolen during a South Lake Tahoe vehicle burglary.

He was caught with four credit cards in other people’s names, according to court documents.

Also appearing in district court on Tuesday was Kyleigh Nicole Dykes, 30, who admitted to principal to fraudulent use of a credit card on Aug. 10, 2021, at the CVS in Stateline and possession of a credit card without permission.

The charges each carry a 1-4-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine.

Kyleigh Dykes was involved in the same case as Kody Shyan and Christopher Monroe Whitehead

Prosecutor Chelsea Mazza said Kody Whitehead was convicted of a felony in connection with burglaries during the Caldor Fire evacuation.

Whitehead’s co-defendant Christopher Monroe Whitehead was sentenced to probation in August.

Joseph Dykes and the Whiteheads were both involved in thefts around South Lake Tahoe after residents returned from the evacuations, according to news reports at the time.