Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Domestic Dispute Leads to the Discovery of Child Pornography


April 28, 2015

On April 19, 2015 at approximately 0330 in the morning, John Lawson Fullbright (6-28-84) of Williston became involved in a domestic dispute with his wife. His spouse discovered several images of what she believed to be child pornographic images on his phone, which sparked the dispute. She refused to return the phone to him and contacted law enforcement. Law enforcement seized the phone but weren’t able to arrest John Fullbright, because he fled to Marion County before deputies arrived.

On April 19, 2015 at approximately 4 pm, John Fullbright, unaware law enforcement had probable cause for his arrest, responded to a request for a statement. Fullbright came to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office and was arrested for domestic battery. Fullbright bonded out of the Levy County Detention Facility on April 20, 2015 after posting a $30,000 bond.

Investigator Tom Martin continued to investigate the allegation Mrs. Fullbright filed about the pornographic images she viewed on her husband’s phone. Investigator Martin secured a search warrant on April 23, 2015 to conduct a forensic analysis of the phone she surrendered to law enforcement. During his search of the phone’s internal memory, he discovered approximately 1,741 images of children between the ages of 2 to 12 in various sexually explicit poses. In addition to these images, Investigator Martin found video clips of children engaged in sexual acts both with adults and other minor children, anime images of children and images of children engaged in sexual acts with animals.

Investigator Martin then secured a warrant for the arrest of John Lawson Fullbright on April 24, 2015. Investigator Martin developed information that Fullbright was in Marion County and with the assistance of Marion County Sheriff’s Office attempted to execute the arrest warrant that night. Fullbright could not be located.

On April 27, 2015 at approximately 6 pm Fullbright was surrendered to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office by his attorney Mark Feather. Fullbright is being held at the Levy County Detention Facility on a $250,000 bond.

This investigation is still ongoing and additional charges could be filed. The identities of the victimized children depicted in these images have not been determined. Investigators are continuing to work with outside agencies, such as the National Information Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the FBI, to identify these children.

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Lt. Scott Tummond
Criminal Investigations Division
Levy County Sheriff's Office
(352) 486-5111
"Know Something We Don't" Call Crime Stoppers 1-877-349-8477 remain anonymous.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Arrests Made For Recent Bronson Burglaries


April 27, 2015

On Saturday night April 18, 2015 three unidentified males burglarized three businesses in the Town of Bronson. Deputies discovered two of these burglaries while conducting security checks of local businesses. A&A Restaurant and Shakers were the two businesses deputies discovered had been burglarized. Investigators were summoned to these scenes in the early morning hours of Sunday morning and began their investigation. Later Sunday morning, Sweetwater Trading, a retail gun store, was also discovered to have been burglarized.

Investigators recovered evidence leading to the identification of the three suspects. Arrest warrants for Burglary and Grand Theft were obtained for Eric Oliver 12-14-93, and two participating juveniles. On April 20, 2015 Oliver was arrested and is being held at the Levy County Detention Facility on a $400,000.00 bond. One juvenile was arrested on April 24, 2015 and was released to the Department of Juvenile Justice. The second juvenile is still at large.

In addition to these recently reported cases, a fourth burglary at the Church of God by Faith, reported in March of this year, was also cleared. A fourth juvenile identified in this case was arrested on April 24, 2015. He too, was released to the Department of Juvenile Justice. 

These recent arrests do not solve all the reported burglary cases in the Town of Bronson. Our investigators are still diligently working to solve these break-ins. Any person with knowledge of these past crimes, who could offer information which would lead to the identification of the person(s) responsible, is asked to contact Investigator Noel Ramirez at 352-486-5111 or contact Crime-Stoppers to remain anonymous at 1-877-349-8477.

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Lt. Scott Tummond
Criminal Investigations Division
Levy County Sheriff's Office
(352) 486-5111
"Know Something We Don't" Call Crime Stoppers 1-877-349-8477 remain anonymous.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Bronson Methamphetamine Lab Taken Down


April 22, 2015

Levy County Drug Task Force Investigators responded to 9590 NE 78 Lane in Bronson to investigate a possible clandestine Methamphetamine Lab.  Investigators made contact with the home owner, Joseph Heath Morgan (4-22-76) who agreed to speak with the investigators. 

During the interview, investigators observed several indicators of recent methamphetamine manufacturing in plain view outside the residence.  These indicators included:  stripped lithium batteries, pseudoephedrine blister packs, aluminum foil and coffee filters.  Morgan subsequently admitted that there was an active methamphetamine lab on the property at the time. 

Investigators also located and interviewed Taylor James Bryant (w/m 10-26-92) on the property.  Bryant admitted that he had been present at the location for several hours. 

Morgan gave the investigators consent to search the property.  They located two active methamphetamine labs inside a shed behind the residence.  The labs were dismantled by Clandestine Laboratory Certified Deputies and with the assistance of the Bronson Fire Department.  Investigators seized 254 grams of Methamphetamine oil from the two labs.  The evidence on scene indicated that site had been used as a lab over a long period of time. 

LCSO Investigators arrested Morgan and Bryant and charged both with Trafficking in Methamphetamine and Manufacturing Methamphetamine.  Both are being held at the Levy County Detention Center on $200,000.00 bond. 

LCSO encourages the public to contact us or Crime Stoppers of Levy County to report suspicious methamphetamine activity. 

 
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Thursday, April 2, 2015

Sex Predator/Offender Compliance Checks Nets 5 Arrests


April 2, 2015

On April 1, 2015 the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Parole and Probation and the United States Marshal’s Sex Offender Investigation Branch combined efforts and conducted compliance checks on registered predators/offenders in Levy County. The purpose of these checks are to ensure the registered offenders are complying with their probation conditions. Some offenders are prohibited from having internet access or even possessing a cell phone.

Six locations and 15 offenders were checked by officers. Of these, four arrests were made due to various violations of their conditions for release. A fifth subject was arrested for an outstanding warrant issued by the Parole Commission for conditions violations.

All subjects are being held on a “no bond” status at the Levy County Detention Facility.

The following subjects were arrested during this operation:

 Kenneth James Culver 5-8-85
 William Paul Griffin 4-3-86
 Leonard Levine Williams 8-11-90
 Ronnie L. Floyd 5-16-70
Detwan Lorenzo Wommock 8-17-91
 
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Lt. Scott Tummond
Criminal Investigations Division
Levy County Sheriff's Office
(352) 486-5111
"Know Something We Don't" Call Crime Stoppers 1-877-349-8477 remain anonymous.
 
 


Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Cooperative Effort Leads to Escapee’s Capture



April 1, 2015

On March 29, 2015 the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office issued an escaped inmate alert to surrounding law enforcement agencies. Billy Blaine Santerfeit (1-3-86); a sentenced inmate from Putnam County serving a 1 year 11 month sentence at the Bridges of Sante Fe in Alachua County, had cut is monitoring device and fled from the facility. Santerfeit was being held on charges of uttering forged instruments, a felony. A warrant had been issued charging Santerfeit with escape.

On March 31, 2015 at approximately 4:30 PM the LCSO received information that Santerfeit was in the Bronson area. Deputies from the Criminal Investigative Division and Uniformed Patrol Division responded to the location off of US Alt 27 the tipster gave. Deputies had just missed Santerfeit but were able to develop information on where he was going.

The investigation led LCSO investigators and members of the United States Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force to Citrus County. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and in a combined effort, Santerfeit was taken into custody by CCSO deputies at approximately 8:40 pm in the Beverly Hills area of their county. Santerfeit was transported to their detention facility and is awaiting transport back to Alachua County where he will answer to his new escape charge.

Although Santerfeit was not classified as a violent escaped prisoner, he was still dangerous to our communities. It is unclear what drove Santerfeit to this act of desperation, but our neighborhoods are now safer. Combined common goal efforts between law enforcement agencies are always occurring to safeguard our streets and citizens. This apprehension is just a small example of the work we do.   
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Lt. Scott Tummond
Criminal Investigations Division
Levy County Sheriff's Office
(352) 486-5111
"Know Something We Don't" Call Crime Stoppers 1-877-349-8477 remain anonymous.