A trio of transients are in the Lincoln County Jail on felony charges after they were busted with a stolen vehicle in North Platte.

At around 11:00 a.m., on November 4, officers with the North Platte Police Department were dispatched to the area of Leota Street and South Dewey Street.  A complainant had contacted police to express concern over a female panhandler, who the caller believed was a juvenile.

The caller told police that it appeared some adults in a nearby vehicle were benefiting from the girl’s solicitation.

Officers later learned that the girl, who was identified as 19-year-old Bryonna Emerson, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was taking money and giving it to a male subject in a nearby blue GMC Jimmy.

As officers were on scene, they observed the blue Jimmy traveling at a high rate of speed through the Walmart parking lot, and come within feet of hitting Emerson.  Police say they believe this was done in an effort to scare her.

Officers conducted a traffic stop in the parking lot east of Runza, 202 East Leota, and made contact with the driver, 19-year-old Alex Brown of Salt Lake City, and a passenger, 18-year-old Dalton Carpenter, also of Salt Lake City.

As officers were questioning the men, they learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen from Salt Lake City.

As a result, Brown, Carpenter and Emerson were all placed under arrest and charged with felony possession of stolen property.

They were jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Officer Rodney Brown said the vehicle was towed and impounded until arrangements could be made for its return to Utah.