Sheriff McCallum Honors Our Own

Recent Retirements –             Barbara Carver                                                         Detention Bureau

                                               and,

                                    K-9 Phoenix from Patrol

(not pictured)

Service Pins- 5 years

Dep. A. Horne, Det. J. Douglas, Sgt. S. Snyder, Det. M. Sinclair, Cpl. M. McNeil, S. Gilliard, Det. G. Garboski 

Cpl. S. Wilson, N. Gore, H. McCauley, S. Foster

   10 years

Sergeant Tiffany Lesher

15 years

Officer Arron Wells

Lt. Joe Gore

Deputy  Deborah Benka

20 years

911 Coordinator Mike West

Classifications Patty Galyean

25 years

Sergeant Danny Turner

Officer Tracy Days

Live Saving Awards-

Deputy James Yanok – Patrol Division

Deputy Cody Weaver (x2) – Patrol Division

Deputy Blake Landfair – Patrol Division

Life Saving Awards –

Sergeant Tiffany Lesher – Detention Bureau

Detention Officer Kristan Ritter -Detention Bureau

Detention Officer Devin Smith – Detention Bureau

Certificate of Commendation – Detention Officer Michael Johnson

Life Saving Award-

Deputy Gerard Williams – Patrol Division

Life Saving Award-

Deputy Mark Juen – Patrol Division

Letter of Commendation

Detention Officer Jarrod Horne

Letter of Commendation

K-9 Deputy Alton Horne and K-9 Behr

Employee of the Year-  Deputy LeRoy Prine - Law Enforcement Division

Medal of Valor- Deputy LeRoy Prine

Employee of the Year - CID

Corporal Michael McNeil - Criminal Investigations Division

Employee of the Year Detention Bureau

CNA Samantha Foster - Detention Bureau

Employee of the Year - Communications

Assistant Supervisor Jessica Collins - Communications Division

 Employee of the Year - Admin Staff

Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Lee Dunn

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 10, 2021

Sheriff McCallum presented multiple awards to the exceptional employees of the Levy County Sheriff’s Office yesterday during an annual staff gathering. Although this meeting was delayed by COVID, these men and women were not forgotten for their accomplishments in 2020 and stood proud in the presence of their peers and family as they were honored.

Awards ranging from service pins to Life Saving awards culminated with the presentation of Employee of the Year which kept most on the edge of their seats.

                       

 

 

                                   

                                   

                              

                                  

                                   

 

                                                  

                                                

 

                                     

                                     

                                  

                                     

 

         

 

 

DTF Narcotics Dealer Round-UP

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force quietly concluded a lengthy drug investigation which targeted dealers who were selling narcotics on the streets of Levy County. DTF Detectives arrested twelve (12) people who sold narcotics to undercover officers. These subjects were picked up one-by-one from various locations around Levy County and booked into the Detention Bureau. The following is a list of those arrested and their charges:

·       Omar Blake 1/23/79 of Chiefland – sale of cocaine.

·       Jerome Brown 5/8/51 of Williston – sale of cocaine.

·       Marty Days 1/12/64 of Williston – possession of a controlled substance.

·       James Foster 11/18/83 of Trenton – three counts of sale of cocaine.

·       Sadie Harris 8/16/59 of Williston – two counts of sale of cocaine.

·       Cha Cha Latson 7/6/65 of Williston – two counts of sale of cocaine.

·       David Lewis 5/19/81 of Bronson – seven counts of sale of methamphetamines, five counts of sale of MDMA.

·       Kirkland Neal 11/2/71 of Bronson- two counts of sale of cocaine, two counts of sale of marijuana.

·       Jeffrey Robinson 10/14/87 of Williston – sale of cocaine, sale of MDMA and failure to appear.

·       Eugene Rowe 1/24/59 of Williston – two counts of sale of cocaine.

·       Leola Smith 9/3/85 of Chiefland – possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

·       Malinda Walker 9/8/76 of Bronson – sale of cocaine and sale of marijuana.

“This is another effort by our personnel to bring those responsible for feeding the addictions of our citizens to justice. This is a never ending battle that results in prolonged investigations. These investigations eventually result in holding those in the drug business accountable for their illegal activities. Overdoses and overdose deaths are skyrocketing in Levy County. As Sheriff, I can assure our citizens that we will do everything possible to continue to bring to justice those criminals that are facilitating deaths and overdoses through their sales of illegal drugs,” stated Sheriff McCallum.

Bronson Man Arrested After Stealing Utility Vehicle

June 4, 2021

Wednesday afternoon Lt. James Anderson, Commander of the LCSO Patrol Division, observed a person driving a John Deere Gator (UTV) on US Alt Hwy 27 near Bronson. The operation of a vehicle of this type on any public road in Levy County is prohibited. Lt. Anderson watched the person operating the UTV pull onto a dirt side road off the highway and approach a closed gate. It appeared this person was opening the gate in order to access private property. As Lt. Anderson continued to watch the subject in his rear view mirror he saw this person turned back onto the highway and accelerate away.

Seeing this suspicious behavior Lt. Anderson turned around and attempted to stop the UTV. The driver of the UTV attempted to elude Lt. Anderson by abruptly turning onto another dirt road south of Blue Springs Road, but lost control and crashed. The driver fled the crash scene on foot and was last seen by Lt. Anderson running west into the woods.

Multiple LCSO units responded to the area to assist in the search for the fleeing subject. The Florida Department of Corrections K-9 Unit responded to assist in the search as well as a helicopter from Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The subject was able to elude capture for several hours as a downpour of rain began shortly after he fled.

Shortly after 10:00 p.m. a Detective observed a male walking on SR 24 west of Bronson. He called for additional assistance and deputies confronted the individual. The person was identified as William Justin Ford (12/21/90) of Bronson. Ford was sweaty, scratched, bleeding and breathing heavily. He had no reasonable explanation for his condition. Lt. Anderson was contacted and positively identified Ford as the person who fled from him hours earlier.

Upon arrest, Ford was found to be in possession of nearly 12 grams of Methamphetamines and 2 grams of Fentanyl. The UTV was confirmed as a stolen vehicle, recently taken from a farm just east of Chiefland. Detectives are looking into the activities of Ford the day prior to his arrest. Any person who has information about William Ford is asked to contact Lt. Mike Narayan at 352-486-5111 or if you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-877-349-8477.

Mr. Ford may be familiar to some of our readers. We published a press release in March of 2017 where we reported on his escape from the rear seat of a patrol vehicle after he had been arrested for possession of narcotics. He was returned to custody in May of 2017 and he remained incarcerated until his release from the Florida Department of Corrections in December of 2019. Mr. Ford has a lengthy criminal history with multiple felony convictions. We are hopeful he will be introduced to the Florida D.O.C. again in the near future for a lengthier sentence.    

Mr. Ford is currently being held in the Levy County Detention Facility and is charged with multiple felonies. His bond has been set at $70,000.00 bond.