An ex-trucking employee is behind bars this afternoon after stealing an 18-wheeler and backing it into the Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel in Mound House on Thursday morning, according to the Director of Corporate Safety for Central Transport.

News 4-Fox 11 was initially told by a spokesman for the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office that the driver was a disgruntled, former employee of the Bunny Ranch.

Bill Chapman confirms that Brian Brandt, 40, of Reno, was terminated by the company on Feb. 14, 2017, due to accident related measures.

Chapman says that an employee at his Sparks facility was physically assaulted with a 4-foot steel bar on May 17, 2017, and that Brandt was apprehended by police shortly thereafter. According to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office booking log, Brandt was arrested on May 17 on battery and conspiracy to destroy property charges.

On the morning of Thursday, May 25, an employee arrived at the Sparks trucking dock and found several windows shattered and a door kicked in. The employee notified Chapman of a missing truck and trailer.

After an 18-wheeler backed into the entrance of the brothel, authorities determined that Brandt had stolen the truck and trailer, Chapman says.

Michael Carlson with the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and Chapman both confirm that Brandt was wearing a bullet-proof vest and a mask when the incident occurred.

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