Traffic Stop Locates Drugs and a Gun

October 25, 2018

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office Uniformed Patrol Division deputies conducted a traffic stop on CR 337 south of Bronson on a gray Ford truck just before 10 PM last night for unlawful speed. Deputies recently increased patrols in this area based on citizen complaints of suspicious activities and speeders. 

Deputy A. Horne and Sgt. L. Allen with her K-9 partner Phoenix spoke to the driver of the truck, identified as Daryl Dallas Jr (1-8-92) of Williston. Deputy Horne immediately smelled the odor of burned marijuana and asked Dallas if he had been smoking. Dallas, without saying a word, handed over a small package which was confirmed to be marijuana. Dallas, who is not prescribed marijuana for any medicinal reason, was removed from the vehicle and the interior was searched. 

Deputies located a loaded .38 handgun adjacent to a metal tin hidden underneath the driver’s seat. The tin contained 14 alprazolam pills, 13 oxycodone pills, 28.6 grams of powder cocaine, 11.6 grams of methamphetamine, 1.41 grams of crack cocaine and baggies commonly used to package drugs for street level sales. Dallas was arrested and transported to the Levy County Detention Facility.

Dallas has been charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (alprazolam/oxycodone), possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony, possession of a concealed weapon, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in lieu of a $327,000.00 bond.

It Takes Time to Build the Case

October 24, 2018

      

Many of our followers often wonder why we cannot solve the case in under an hour like they do on TV (minus the commercial interruptions).  Well, we cannot, because this is not Hollywood and we don’t have the super star actors who always get the confession. We build cases the old fashioned way; we work for it, talk to witnesses, interview suspects and find the stolen property by searching for it.

Recently the eastern side of Levy County experienced a rash of car burglaries. These thieves targeted unlocked vehicles and took a whole bunch of guns along with other valuables. These cases were being investigated by the Gainesville Police Department and the LCSO Criminal Investigations Division (CID) and they took time to develop.

LCSO investigators have made considerable progress in solving these cases and have recovered many stolen guns. The investigation gained traction on October 11, 2018 when LCSO investigators made an arrest in Williston and recovered three guns. Investigators pulled on the “loose thread” and from this arrest developed enough information to secure a search warrant.

On October 12, 2018 investigators executed the search warrant and recovered two more guns and made another arrest. This case profited our investigators with more information that led to another search warrant. On October 16, 2018 investigators executed this search warrant at 21130 NE 40 Street in Williston, recovered 16 guns and made two more arrests. And, the investigation continued.

On October 18, 2018 investigators arrested Kentavious Brown (1-28-2001) of Williston for burglary and grand theft of a firearm and Davonta Pollock (7-27-2000) of Williston for burglary, grand theft of a firearm and a felon in possession of a firearm. No guns were recovered during these arrests. Brown has been released to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Pollock is being held in lieu of a $125,000.00 bond.

Again on October 23, 2018 investigators made another arrest. Jonathan Davis (7-11-99) of Gainesville was arrested for burglary and grand theft of a firearm. He was additionally charged for a violation of probation.  He is being held at the Levy County Detention Facility on a $25,000.00 bond for the burglary and theft charges and NO bond for his probation violation.

Investigators report more arrests are forthcoming as more information is being developed on a daily basis. To date, 21 guns have been recovered along with seven arrests and other stolen property seized. Of these 21 guns, nine (9) of them have been confirmed as previously being reported stolen and will be returned to their owners.

Anyone with information related to these cases or have information on any other crimes can contact the LCSO at 352-486-5111 or report what you know anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-877-349-8477. You may be eligible for a cash reward.

20 Minutes to Conviction

October 24, 2018

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division arrested two men on June 21, 2017 for sexually battering a mentally delayed 12 year old child. Jason Fisher (12-1-81) of Morriston, entered into a plea agreement after his arrest with the State Attorney’s Office and is currently serving 15 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.

On October 23, 2018 Ronald Adams (9-30-58) of Morriston, the second defendant in this case, made a decision to take his case to trial and allow a Levy County jury to decide his fate. Assistant State Attorney Glenn Bryan presented the case prepared by LCSO Investigator Mike McNeil for the jury to deliberate. In approximately 20 minutes the jury had their decision – GUILTY on all charges.

Adams sentencing has been scheduled for December 19, 2018 and could potentially face up to life in prison.

Sheriff McCallum said he is extremely proud of the diligence Investigator McNeil displayed in finding the truth and his expertise in preparing this case for trial. Two men who committed a most grievous crime on a child are now off our streets and our community is safer. The victim in this case is still receiving assistance and we hope she will make a full recovery. I applaud the State Attorney’s Office in their professionalism in their presentation of this case to our jurors which led to this conviction.   

East Williston Block Party

October 23, 2018

During the late night hours of September 29th and early morning hours of September 30, 2018, a large number of individuals staged a “Williston Block Party” in the area of the New Hope Baptist Church in East Williston, Florida.  An estimated crowd of 3,000 partiers used vehicles to completely block traffic on County Road 318 and Northeast 212^th Court.  Loud music, alcohol and marijuana smoke filled the area for approximately 4 hours. 

Some of the activities of that gathering were documented on social media and can be viewed (with ADULT LANGUAGE advisory) at: 

https://youtu.be/CT3wm3kLi5Y

https://youtu.be/cfoGdmhUgFg

https://youtu.be/3dnP9vdX2Jk

 

With the assistance of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Williston Police Department, LCSO deputies made 9 drug arrests, seized numerous firearms and took multiple noise complaints. 

Sources have informed LCSO that a similar event is planned for October 27^th beginning at 11:00 P.M.  While the organizers and profiteers of these type of events generally avoid identifying themselves, they should be aware that the lawless behavior exhibited at the last event on September 29^th will not be tolerated.  Those wishing to organize a “Block Party” are encouraged to find a venue that does not require blocking traffic, disturbing residential neighborhoods and breaking drug and firearm laws. 

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Fanning Springs Man Arrested for Lewdness on Child

October 22, 2018

On Friday, October 20, 2018 a Levy County Deputy responded to a home in Fanning Springs when a parent found explicit conversations and images on her 13 year old child’s tablet. The mother told the deputy she took the tablet away from her daughter as a form of discipline and when looking through the tablet found an application downloaded. The application “Google Hangouts” wasn’t an application she approved her daughter to use. The mother found a history of sexually explicit messages and images between her daughter and an unidentified male. 

LCSO Criminal Investigations responded to the scene to complete the investigation. Investigator Mike McNeil interviewed the child who admitted to communication with a person she met at Fanning Springs State Park. This individual, whom she identified as 22 year old Dustin Norman of Fanning Springs, added her as his friend through the “Hangouts” application and they began talking. The child admitted to investigators she was involved in sexual conversations with Norman. 

Investigator McNeil located and interviewed Norman. Norman admitted to being involved in a sexual relationship with the victim, admitted he knew her age and admitted to sending nude photographs of him to her. Norman was arrested and charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child, transmitting obscene images to a child and use of two way communications to commit a felony. He is being held at the Levy County Detention Facility in lieu of a $250,000.00 bond. 

The use of the internet and the multitude of ways it allows people to communicate are dangerous and confusing. Children often do not understand predators constantly look for ways to communicate with new potential victims. Sheriff McCallum urges parents to faithfully monitor their children’s internet use and social media presence to avoid crimes such as this.  If the parent in this case had not been vigilant in the supervision of her daughter this situation could have had more severe lifelong consequences. I applaud this parent in her efforts to protect her daughter and for her willingness to report this situation so that other children may be protected from this suspect as well, said Sheriff McCallum.