The Levy County Sheriff’s Office
partnered with 8th Judicial State Attorney’s Office Lead Prosecutor Bill
Ezzell, and won a major case in the eyes of the East
Williston community. Eugene Donald was convicted by a jury of his peers
on August 27, 2014 in Levy
County
Club 212, as it was named by some
East Williston residents, was a thorn in the
side of local law enforcement, and the neighborhood it was located in. LCSO and
Sheriff McCallum himself began receiving complaints from the East
Williston community members and surrounding areas in April of 2013.
These complaints varied from loud music, excessive crowds, and traffic problems
to gunfire heard in the area. Because of the club, LCSO was forced to dedicate
significant resources to the area each weekend.
The LCSO began to monitor and
document these complaints. LCSO enlisted the assistance of the Florida Division
of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) and the Gainesville Police Department.
As the investigation gained traction, it was obvious to law enforcement many
violations were occurring. Open sales of alcoholic beverages without proper
licensing and drug violations were being seen. LCSO also conducted an
investigation during which one person was shot in the parking lot patrons were
using across the street from the club.
Undercover operations began in
August 2013 in efforts to strengthen the now building criminal case.
Investigators were able to gain access to the interior of the building through
undercover operations and discovered the double wide mobile home had been
gutted to accommodate the large crowds gathering there.
On November 15, 2013 LCSO, ABT
and the Levy County Code Enforcement executed a search warrant at Club 212
located at 3711 NE 212 Court and arrested Eugene and Chrissi Donald, husband
and wife.
LCSO wishes to thank all of the
support we received from the Williston community and the agencies who assisted
in the investigation. Charges are still pending in case against Chrissi Donald
and she is awaiting her day in court.
Sheriff McCallum added, “I hope
the efforts made by my office and our deputies have assisted the community and
the residents feel more secure in their homes. Now that we have returned it to
the peaceful neighborhood they had before Club 212.”
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