The Charges Keep Stacking Up

March 22, 2019

Courtney Harvey (11-19-88), a career violent felon from Williston, was arrested by Drug Task Force Detective Rob Bowers on November 30, 2018 after a lengthy investigation. Harvey was charged with a variety of crimes ranging from battery to drug trafficking. He has been held in the Levy County Detention Facility since this arrest.

Yesterday more charges were filed on Harvey after an examination of drugs seized during the investigation prior to his November arrest were received by the LCSO. Detective Rob Bowers added twelve (12) more drug related charges including possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, sale of cocaine, sale of fentanyl and use of a two way communication device during the commission of a felony. 

Street level drug sales investigations are difficult to conduct. In the case involving Harvey, Detectives suspected he was selling heroin. Detectives discovered on two instances he actually sold drugs that were a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl. On a third occasion he sold pure fentanyl.

Fentanyl is the drug that has been linked to multiple overdose deaths across the nation and has harmed many first responders who inadvertently came into contact with this substance. Deputies in Levy County now carry Narcan, which is used to counteract the deadly effects of this drug, both for victims and ourselves. 

An additional $530,000.00 in bonds has been levied against Harvey bringing his total bond to 1.29 million dollars.

Traffic Crash Involving a School Bus

March 21, 2019

LCSO Deputies and the Florida Highway Patrol are on the scene of a traffic crash involving a Levy County school bus at the intersection of SR 24 and NE 99^th Place in Bronson. No students aboard bus 0984 report being injured but are being checked by Emergency Medical Services as a precaution. Deputies reported a pickup truck rear ended the bus at this intersection. The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries.

Parents do not respond to the crash scene. Parents will be contacted by the Levy County School Board at the number listed in your child’s emergency contact information filed with their school. The students aboard the damaged bus will be transferred to another bus which will take them to their drop off locations. All students aboard bus 0984 will be arriving to their drop off locations late.

Serial Burglar Arrested After He is ID’ed from Facebook Video

March 21, 2019

Local business owner Ryan Bell purchased the building formally known as Deke’s Restaurant and installed a state of the art video surveillance system. His simple decision to safeguard his own property led to the arrest of Harold William Santry, Jr (8-19-64) of Chiefland. 

Mr. Bell and his wife used social media to flood our local area with the video his surveillance system captured of the then unknown suspect. One of their followers who was shopping at Wal-Mart identified Santry Tuesday afternoon. Santry, who must have been totally unaware of the video, was inside Wal-Mart shopping too. LCSO Deputies and Chiefland Police Department Officers responded to Wal-Mart and apprehended Santry. 

Santry has a lengthy arrest history with arrests beginning in 1984. He has amassed 15 felony arrests with 9 felony convictions and two tours through the Florida Department of Corrections. His crimes include battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement, aggravated battery of LEO, theft, drugs and burglary just to name a few.

Detectives executed a search warrant on his home and discovered a wood chipper reported stolen in a Levy County case our deputies responded to in 2015. Detectives also discovered Santry moved into Levy County in June of 2015. Multiple firearms were recovered and Santry has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as well as other crimes. 

LCSO Detectives will be working on this case for months. Many seized items have been identified, but most have not. Santry appeared to target the areas between Chiefland and Fanning Springs. Residents who lived in these areas between June of 2015 and March of 2019 and have had something stolen from their home are asked to contact our Criminal Investigations Division at 352-486-5111 to schedule a meeting. We will allow you to view all the property which has not been identified. The process of cataloging the items will take time and we are asking for your patience.

We are also asking our public if you had any interaction with Santry or even purchased something from him to contact us. He is a very accomplished criminal and we want to ensure you that you are not in trouble. We just need to identify any stolen property he may have sold to the unsuspecting. Additional cases identified this way would allow us to file more charges on him and ensure he does not ever get out of jail again to victimize another Levy County resident. 

Santry is being held in the Levy County Detention Facility in lieu of a $695,000.00 bond.

Citizen Complaint of Reckless Driver Results in Drug Arrest

March 18, 2019

On Sunday evening, March 17, 2019 a concerned citizen called the Levy County Sheriff’s Office to report seeing a reckless driver on SR 121. Deputy Tucker Gaffey was dispatched to the area and located the dark colored van described by the citizen. Deputy Gaffey saw the vehicle was being operated at a speed above the posted speed limit; the driver was swerving within his own lane and was following the car in front of him too closely. Based on these observations, Deputy Gaffey stopped the vehicle.

Deputy Gaffey identified the driver as Jonathan Adkins (1-27-2000) of Louisville, Kentucky. While speaking to Adkins Deputy Gaffey smelled marijuana. Deputy Gaffey asked Adkins if he had any marijuana in the vehicle and was handed several hand rolled cigars that Adkins said were filled with marijuana. Adkins also said there was more marijuana hidden in the gas cap area of the van. This baggie was recovered and it contained a felony amount if marijuana. Adkins was arrested.

Deputy Gaffey searched Adkins’ van prior to it being towed and located an unusual can of WD-40 in the rear cargo area. The can had a false bottom and when Deputy Gaffey unscrewed it, he found more drugs and money. Deputy Gaffey’s discovery of this stash of drugs revealed 79 hits of LSD, MDMA, THC wax, methamphetamines and cocaine along with $960.00 in cash.

Adkins was booked in to the Levy County Detention Facility and was charged with felony possession of marijuana, possession of a hallucinogen (LSD), three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $165,000.00.

Vehicle Equipment Violation Results in Drug Arrest

March 18, 2019

On Friday evening, March 15, 2019 Deputy Gary Garboski with his K-9 partner Molly stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation. Deputy Garboski spoke to the driver and while doing so smelled the odor of marijuana. The driver produced a marijuana vape pen, three THC cartridges and her medical marijuana prescription card. Deputy Garboski knew the THC vape pens did not smell like burning marijuana when used and pressed the driver and her passenger for more information. 

Deputy Garboski searched the vehicle and located raw leaf marijuana, three vape pens which contained THC oil (a felony) and a marijuana pipe in the center console of car. The passenger, Robert Klein (4-2-86) from Fort White, claimed ownership of all of these items and said the driver did not know he had placed them there. Klein also said he had a firearm in the trunk of the vehicle.

Deputy Garboski searched the trunk of the vehicle and located a loaded .223 rifle and a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Concealed in a bag next to these guns were more drugs. Deputy Garboski seized 86 alprazolam pills, 68 THC vape cartridges, THC wax, 31 MDMA pills, 106 hits of LSD, two THC energy drinks and 1 ½ pounds of raw marijuana. Klein claimed ownership of all of these drugs, too.

Klein was arrested and booked into the Levy County Detention Facility. He was charged with trafficking in LSD, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $34,000.00.