Two of three not guilty pleas in case of Clear Lake thefts

CLEAR LAKE — Two of three people arrested last month in connection with a number of crimes that took place in and around the Clear Lake area earlier this year have pleaded not guilty. 

41-year-old Misty Buckley and 45-year-old Tania Kliven of Clear Lake as well as 37-year-old Micah Price of Cedar Rapids were booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail in early February. Police say the three people are connected to vehicle burglaries, theft of motor vehicles and credit card fraud that has taken place during the latter part of January and early February.

A criminal complaint states that a search warrant was conducted at a Clear Lake residence where the majority of the items tying all the crimes together were located, with the three being involved in constant communication regarding these crimes occurring for financial gain.

All three were charged with ongoing criminal conduct, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Price and Kliven were both charged with four counts of third-degree burglary of a motor vehicle and one count of operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent. Price was also charged with five counts of unauthorized use of a credit card. Kliven also faces charges of second-degree theft and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Buckley was also charged with three counts of unauthorized use of a credit card.

Price and Kliven last week pleaded not guilty to the charges. Price’s trial is scheduled for April 5th while Kliven is due to stand trial on April 19th. A preliminary hearing for Buckley is scheduled for March 14th.