January 10, 2017
On December 23, 2016 at approximately 10 a.m., LCSO Deputies
responded to the Buck Bay subdivision located on NW 70 Avenue in Chiefland
after receiving a report of vandalism. A Buck Bay resident found the entrance
sign and the road at the entrance to the subdivision had been spray painted
with sexually explicit symbols and other symbols commonly associated with hate
groups. Road signs at the entrance had been removed and painted, too. Shortly
after receiving this report, other reports of similar types of damage in this
same general area were called into the Dispatch Center at the LCSO. Deputies
collected evidence located at each scene and discovered most, if not all of
these acts, appeared to have been perpetrated by the same individuals.
Deputy J.J. Roe had previously located two juveniles asleep
in a disabled vehicle in the 9500 block of NW 70th Avenue prior to
the first vandalism report being filed. Deputy Roe noticed the juveniles had
dirty dark colored finger tips during his interview with them. Deputy Roe
contacted the juvenile’s parents to come and remove the disabled car and take
them home.
Deputy Roe continued his investigation and documented the
bar code from spray paint cans he collected at the Buck Bay crime scene. He
contacted Loss Prevention at Wal-Mart and reviewed video surveillance footage.
Deputy Roe discovered multiple cans of the same type and color of spray paint
had been purchased at approximately 3 a.m. by the juveniles he located earlier
that morning. Deputy Roe later contacted and interviewed the juveniles, Cason
Smith (16) and Dawlton Tilley (16), who confessed to each act.
Smith and Tilley were arrested on December 25, 2016 and have
been charged with Criminal Mischief (Property Damage) to the Buck Bay
Subdivision signs, Long Pond Baptist Church signs, First Baptist Church of
Chiefland signs and numerous road signs. The estimated damage exceeds $4,200
combined in these incidents. Both Smith and Tilley have been released to their
parents and will be appearing in the Levy County Courts to answer to these felony
charges.
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