MEDIA RELEASE
Date: April 17, 2011
Time: 10:15 AM
Last Saturday April 9, 2011 Jeromy Daniel Smith from Old Town, left Dixie County to pay bills for his grandmother. Instead of paying his grandmother's bills he spent the $ 200 dollars in crack cocaine. The crime spree began when Smith left Dixie County around 4 PM and arrived in Chiefland. Smith went on a crack cocaine binge spending all of his grandmother's money, and eventually running out of gas. Smith attempted to put gas into a 2 liter bottle, but was denied by the clerk since it was not an approved container.
Smith left the gas station walking; he then broke into a vehicle in the city of Chiefland where he stole a Garmin GPS and a portable DVD player. Smith then left Chiefland high on cocaine and continued his path of crime, which led him to the Buck Bay subdivision. Around 10 PM Smith broke into five vehicles in Buck Bay stealing purses, credit cards, knives, etc., while the victims were either sleeping or watching television.
Smith then left Buck Bay and attempted to use the stolen credit cards at Murphy Oil in Chiefland, but was denied. The crime spree continued and did not stop in Levy County as Smith crossed the Suwannee River and broke into another vehicle and stole a Tom-Tom GPS. Smith then returned home around 3 AM where he got into a domestic fight with his girlfriend. Smith's girlfriend called the Dixie County Sheriff's Office, but upon their arrival Smith ran out the back door of the residence. Smith's girlfriend told the Dixie County authorities that Smith had a bag full of possibly stolen items under his blanket. The investigation revealed that a purse belonging to one of the Levy County victims was in the bag. The owner was unaware that her purse was missing until contacted by law enforcement.
The Tom-Tom which also had not been reported stolen, was returned to the owner as Investigator Roger Bell turned the GPS on and hit home, which led him to the victim's residence.
Dixie County deputies later located Smith and charged him with resisting arrest without violence. Investigator Roger Bell has obtained a warrant for multiple felony charges for burglary and grand theft with a $ 50,000 dollar bond.
We are asking the citizens if they had items missing from their vehicles during the above time frames to contact Investigator Bell at 352-486-5111.
Defendant:
Jeromy Daniel Smith
250 NE 743rd Street
Old Town, Fl.
W/M, 07/03/1989
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Major Evan Sullivan
Levy County Sheriff's Office
FBI-National Academy 183rd Session
Office: 352-486-5446
Cell: 352-577-4218