OKEECHOBEE — A Michigan man is being held on bond in the Okeechobee County Jail after his arrest for allegedly stealing a John Deere 825i XUV Gator, then trying to sell it to a local detective.

Detective Mark Shireman, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO, said he entered into an agreement to buy the XUV from Jeremiah Jerome Hayes. The agreed-upon price was $4,000, stated the detective’s arrest report.

The Gator is valued at $15,000.

Jeremiah Hayes, 18

Hayes, 18, Arbor Way Road, Southfield, Mich., was then arrested Sept. 7 on felony charges of burglary of an occupied structure and grand theft. He was also charged with resisting a law enforcement officer without violence, which is a misdemeanor.

Hayes is being held on $16,000 bond.

According to the detective’s report, Hayes cut the lock on a fence at Everglades Farm Equipment, 820 U.S. 98 N., sometime over the Labor Day weekend. After removing the lock, he apparently entered the property and stole the Gator. He then drove it to a wooded area a short distance away from the business, added the detective.

The theft was reported Tuesday, Sept. 6, to OCSO Deputy Ryane Ammons, and later turned over to Detective Shireman. Photos of the stolen Gator were then posted on social media sites.

A local citizen then contacted the detective Wednesday, Sept. 7, and said they saw the stolen Gator on Craigslist.

“I made contact with the seller and made an agreement to buy the Gator via text message,” stated Detective Shireman. “The agreement was made for me to purchase the Gator for $4,000 and pick it up at (an address of) N.W. Eighth St. in Okeechobee. This is only a few blocks west of Everglades Farm Equipment.”

Several OCSO detectives, along with Detective Shireman, canvassed the area and found the Gator stashed in some woods between that N.W. Eighth Street address and the farm equipment business.

Some of the detectives then hid in the woods and waited for the perpetrator to come get the Gator.

“The perpetrator did return and sat in the driver’s seat, as observed by deputies, and was confronted. The defendant fled, and after a foot chase was apprehended,” Detective Shireman explained.

The XUV was recovered.

Arraignment for Hayes has been set for Oct. 21 at 10 a.m.

OKEECHOBEE — When an Okeechobee woman tried to protect the security of her computer she, instead, saw her checking account totally wiped out in just 60 seconds.

Deputy Mark Margerum, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), indicated in his Sept. 7 report that the woman purchased a $300 online security package for her computer.

The 64-year-old woman then received a phone call from a man named Jason Wilson who was supposedly representing the security company. Wilson reportedly told her the company could no longer protect her and that she needed to file a claim to receive a refund. He instructed her to go to www.microsoftrefundweekly.com to file that claim.

Wilson then told her the company could only deposit cash, so they would deposit $1,640 in her account and she would then need to send the overage, minus $300, to a person named Parvin Guluyev in Georgia. In all, she was to send him $1,340 by MoneyGram.

“As (she) was speaking with Jason on the phone she checked her account balance which was $1,340.38 as of 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 7,” stated Deputy Margerum. “(She) advised she knew this request did not sound right so she pulled the phone from her ear and told her husband she was going to call the police.

“(She) said Jason heard her statement and immediately hung the phone up.

(She) said as of 5:31 p.m. her (bank) account balance was reduced to $0.00,” added the deputy’s report.

The victim reportedly gave the deputy her bank records to show that her account was cleaned out in just one minute.

“I advised (her) it would be in her best interest to disconnect the infected computer from the internet and have the security program she purchased removed so none of her other accounts become compromised,” pointed out Deputy Margerum.

OKEECHOBEE — At least nine vehicles were burglarized over the weekend at a local RV park on S.R. 78 West.

Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) reports indicate losses were small and that some of the vehicles were left unlocked. Some OCSO reports don’t mention whether the vehicles were locked or not.

The burglaries at the Big ‘O’ RV Park, 7950 S.R. 78 W., were assigned Tuesday, Sept. 13, to OCSO Detective Howard Pickering.

According to the reports the break-ins occurred sometime during the nighttime hours Sunday, Sept. 11.

OCSO Deputy Heath Hughes worked one theft in which a $50 check was stolen from the center console of a vehicle. He then checked Monday, Sept. 12, with a local bank on which the check was drawn and learned it had not yet been cashed.

He then suggested to the victim that they stop payment on the check.

A report by Deputy Marcus Collier indicated another couple living in the park wasn’t as lucky. That couple, stated the report, own two vehicles and both were burglarized.

In this case the thief made off with a Microsoft Pro 3 Tablet from one vehicle and a Garmin GPS unit from the second vehicle. The deputy’s report did not indicate a dollar value for the stolen items.

Deputy Collier went on to state both vehicles were left unlocked.

Deputy Collier also worked another theft in which that vehicle was also left unlocked. The thief, or thieves, took a flashlight as well as some 50mg tramadol pain tablets from the sports utility vehicle.

Again, the value of the stolen items was not listed in the report.

Deputy Richard Varnadore worked another car break-in at the park in which the thief rummaged through the vehicle sometime after 10 p.m. Sunday. A GPS system, valued at $150, was stolen along with 45 $1 coins.

In the remaining break-ins nothing was reported stolen by the owners of those vehicles.

OKEECHOBEE — A man accused of killing his wife in July has been indicted on a charge of premeditated first degree murder with a firearm.

An Okeechobee County grand jury Tuesday, Sept. 13, handed down a true bill officially charging David Anthony Schwendenmann in the July 29 murder of his 48-year-old wife, Angela Marie Schwendenmann. The couple had been married 19 years.

Schwendenmann is also charged with aggravated battery on a pregnant woman, robbery, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer and attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm.

He is being held in the Okeechobee County Jail without bond on counts one and two — the murder and attempted murder charges. He will have his first-appearance hearing Wednesday on the other three counts and could receive a bond for those charges.

Assistant state attorney Ashley Albright, who is prosecuting the case along with assistant state attorney Don Richardson, said Tuesday afternoon no decision has been made on whether Schwendenmann will face the death penalty or not.

He said that decision will be made after he and Mr. Richardson meet with State Attorney Bruce Colton.

Schwendenmann is currently represented by defense attorney Stanley Glenn from the District 19 public defender’s office.

According to a probable cause affidavit by Detective Corporal Rosemary Farless, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), the couple were arguing in their S.E. 58th Drive home around 5 p.m. that hot Friday evening when, stated a witness, there was a ‘BOOM.’

The witness then walked into the home and saw Angela laying on the floor in a pool of blood.

Schwendenmann, continued the detective, had shot his wife in the left side of her throat with a slug from a 12 gauge shotgun.

The OCSO investigator also described how the couple had engaged in a “very bad” argument two to three weeks prior to the shooting. That confrontation ended when Schwendenmann allegedly picked up a shotgun and hit his wife in the left side of her head with the butt of the gun. The force of the blow knocked Angela off her feet, continued the report.

Cpl. Farless noted in her report that during the woman’s autopsy, a fading bruise with yellowish coloring was found on the left side of Angela’s head.

After killing his wife, the detective documented how Schwendenmann got in his car and drove to his daughter’s home at a U.S. 441 S.E. RV park. He now needed another vehicle because he had a flat tire on the blue four-door Toyota he was driving.

Once inside his daughter’s home, the man pushed his forearm against his daughter’s chest, wrapped his fingers around her throat then squeezed and demanded the keys to the Ford Explorer used by her and her fiancé. The daughter was 15 weeks pregnant at the time.

The fiancé gave Schwendenmann the keys just to get him out of his home.

After Schwendenmann had gone, the fiancé waved down an OCSO deputy, who then got on the radio and issued an alert for the man.

Before leaving his daughter’s home the man transferred three shotguns and several rounds of shotgun shells from the Toyota to the Explorer.

By this time OCSO deputies Jose Garduno and Yero Todman had deployed stop sticks at Brother’s RV Park, 8190 U.S. 441 S.E., and were waiting for Schwendenmann to come their way.

As Schwendenmann approached the stop sticks, he slammed on the brakes and came to a screaching halt. The deputies then ran up to the Explorer. Immediately behind the SUV was Cpl. Farless.

“I could hear Todman or Garduno yelling to David: “Put your hands up! Put your hands up! GUN!’” stated the detective’s report. “Then I heard: ‘Don’t touch the gun! Don’t touch the gun!’ I saw D/S Garduno shoot David Schwendenmann.”

The deputies did not discharge their weapons until Schwendenmann allegedly reached for, and put his hand on, a shotgun beside him, the report states.

Schwendenmann was shot three times, and was airlifted to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center in Fort Pierce where he stayed for several days. He was arrested upon his release from the hospital.

Cpl. Farless detailed how three fully-loaded shotguns were found in the Ford when she and other detectives executed a search warrant on the vehicle. One of the shotguns was also cocked and ready to be fired.

Mr. Richardson explained Schwendenmann is only charged with one count of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer because he looked directly into the eyes of Deputy Garduno.

“He made eye contact with Deputy Garduno as he picked up the shotgun,” said Mr. Richardson.

OKEECHOBEE — There used to be a commercial featuring the slogan: “A little dab’ll do you!” But, for an Okeechobee man, a little ‘dab’ led to his arrest on a felony drug charge.

William Paul Trotter, 36

William Paul Trotter, 36, was arrested Tuesday, Sept. 13, on an Okeechobee County felony warrant charging him with possession of premises for the manufacture of controlled substances with a minor present.

His bond on that charge has been set at $75,000.

Trotter was one of the 17 people who were arrested Sept. 3 during a drug sweep conducted by the Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force. At that time he was charged with sale of marijuana (two counts) and possession of marijuana with intent to sell (two counts). His bond on those charges was set at $70,000.

Tuesday’s arrest came about after assistant state attorney Terry Tribble learned Trotter was making marijuana resin in his S.W. 18th Street home with his 3-year-old child in the home.

According to Mr. Tribble, Trotter was making the resin — which is also known as dabbing — in a room across the hall from the child’s room.

When task force detectives executed a search warrant on the home, they reportedly found numerous items commonly used to manufacture marijuana resin. Among those items were: numerous bottles of butane fluid; two silver metal high-pressure column extractors; a vacuum purge kit; numerous 1-gram packages; numerous glass jars containing suspected marijuana; smoking pipes and bongs; rolling papers; plastic bags; and, digital scales.

A detective’s report indicated the suspected marijuana was field tested and indicated a positive result for the presence of marijuana. The suspected pot weighed about 516.3 grams, or about 1.2 pounds.

Marijuana resin residue was also found on some wax paper in a freezer located in the kitchen.

The detective’s report went on to point out that Trotter has been unemployed for two years. However, when he was searched $1,717 in cash was found in his wallet, added the report. Apparently, said Mr. Tribble, Trotter has been manufacturing marijuana resin, or dabbing, to generate an income.

The resin, or dabs, are concentrated doses of pot that are made by extracting the THC with butane or carbon dioxide. This extraction results in a sticky oil that is referred to as wax or butane hash oil. Using dabs can produce a much more intense high than merely smoking pot, added the prosecutor.

An article in ‘High Times’ stated it’s actually possible to overdose on marijuana by dabbing.

“While still not lethal, taking more than your personal limit of dabs can lead to uncomfortable highs and, in some cases, passing out,” stated that article.

The story also points out dabbing, or the extracting of THC, can be dangerous. First, there is the possibility of explosions. Second, home extractions could result in ‘dirty’ oil that may contain contaminants that could present health hazards to consumers.

OKEECHOBEE — An armed robbery suspect was arrested Monday after area law enforcement agencies spent more than 12 hours combing through dense underbrush just north of the J&S Fish Camp on U.S. 441 S.E.

Sherman Lee Bryant, 35

As many as 20 detectives and deputies from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) were joined in the search for Sherman Lee Bryant by deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Okeechobee Correctional Institution K-9s and their handlers.

Bryant, 35, is accused of robbing a clerk Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Treasure Island Shell Station, 3609 U.S. 441 S.E., of an unspecified amount of cash.

OCSO Detective Cari Arnold, the lead investigator on the case, said Tuesday, Sept. 20, neither the weapon allegedly used by Bryant nor the stolen cash has been found. She went on to say no one was injured during the robbery.

Bryant is currently being held in the Martin County Jail on a felony charge of escape, along with misdemeanor charges of loitering and prowling and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence. His bond on those charges had not been set as of newspaper deadline.

It’s not yet known when he will be returned to Okeechobee County.

Ironically, while Bryant was on the run Monday he was being sentenced in absentia by Circuit Court Judge Dan Vaughn.

Assistant state attorney Ashley Albright said Bryant was slated to be in court Monday at 9 a.m. to be sentenced on felony charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance (cocaine).

Mr. Albright said Bryant was allowed to be free on bond prior to sentencing because he was supposed to be working with law enforcement. The state, he added, had made no plea offer to Bryant.

“He had entered a plea without a deal but got an opportunity to get out and work with law enforcement,” added the prosecutor. “He was told by the judge if he was arrested for anything new or didn’t show up for court he could be sentenced to anything.”

Besides the two felony charges, Bryant was also charged with the misdemeanors of possession of marijuana under 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a law enforcement officer with violence. He was to be sentenced to time served in the county jail of 253 days on those charges.

When he didn’t show up for court Monday, the judge sentenced him to 15 years on the gun possession charge and another 5 years on the cocaine charge. Those sentences are to run consecutively, said Mr. Albright, and are the maximum terms.

However, Bryant could yet be charged with failure to appear (FTA).

“He was to be in court at 9 a.m. I knew he was on the run and they were hunting for him,” Mr. Albright offered. “The state could still add failure to appear, even though he was already sentenced to the max. The FTA is the same as the underlying charges, so he could potentially face another 20 years.”

When asked, the prosecutor said he didn’t know when Bryant would be brought back to Okeechobee to face new charges. No charges have been filed yet regarding Sunday’s incident.

“I don’t know when he will be returned. Once I get the paperwork I’ll work with the prosecutor over there (in Martin County),” said Mr. Albright.

Bryant’s most recent problems are not his first brushes with the law.

A records check shows he was first convicted on felony drug charges in 1998. He was found guilty of sale of cocaine, possession of cocaine and sale of a substance in lieu of a controlled substance.

In 2002 he was again found guilty of sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to sell, along with felony charges of resisting a law enforcement officer with violence and escape.

Those convictions led to Bryant being sent to prison for a term of five years in 2005. He was released from the Department of Corrections (DOC) in 2009.

Bryant is being held in Stuart because he was arrested in Martin County. The charges he faces there are separate from what he will be charged with in Okeechobee.

OKEECHOBEE — An Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) detective is asking the public’s help in locating a stolen 2006 Ford Super Duty pickup truck.

The dark-gray, four-door F-250 was stolen Tuesday, Sept. 20, from the Home Depot parking lot, 2700 U.S. 441 S.

According to an OCSO flyer, the vehicle was taken sometime between 11:45 a.m. and 8:25 p.m.

The pickup is described as being stock, with concrete residue in the bed of the truck. It should be displaying Florida license tag DWBV79 on the back of the vehicle, and a Florida Sheriff’s Association plate on the front bumper.

The vehicle identification number is: 1FTSW21P56EA10789.

If you have any information regarding this theft, contact OCSO Detective Mark Shireman at 863-763-3117, ext. 5113, and refer to case number 16S21622.

An Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) detective is seeking the public’s help in locating a stolen 2006 Ford Super Duty pickup similar to the one shown in the accompanying photo. The dark-gray F-250 was stolen Tuesday, Sept. 20, from the Home Depot parking lot at 2700 U.S. 441 S. Courtesy photo/OCSO.

OKEECHOBEE — An 18-year-old Palm Beach man is being held on bond following his arrest for allegedly posting nearly-nude photos of a young girl on the internet.

Anthony Infante, 18

A report by an Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) detective indicated Anthony Infante, 18, not only posted the photos online but also had sexual relations with the girl.

Infante was arrested Monday, Sept. 19, on felony charges of lewd and lascivious molestation – offender over 18 years of age, victim between 12 and 16 years of age; use of a child in a sexual performance; and, transmission of child pornography by electronic device or equipment.

He is being held in the Okeechobee County Jail on a bond of $110,000.

According to the report by OCSO Detective Corporal Rosemary Farless the man posted both videos and still photos online. In one of the videos the young girl turns around and her face is “… fully exposed,” stated the report.

Another video not only shows Infante and the young girl together, but he “… moves the camera up to show his smiling face,” pointed out Cpl. Farless.
Infante’s arraignment has been set for Oct. 21 at 10 a.m.

OKEECHOBEE — A detective with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) is asking for the public’s help in finding two dirt bikes that were stolen from a shed.

OCSO Detective Mark Shireman said the motorcycles were taken Wednesday, Sept. 21, from a locked shed at a residence in the 11000 block of N.E. 120th Street.

One of the motorcycles is a 2004 blue and yellow YZ250. No vehicle identification (VIN) number is available.

The second dirt bike is a 2004 white and black K110 with a VIN of JKALXSA174DA20169.

Nothing else was taken in the burglary, stated the investigator.

If you have any information on this theft, contact Detective Shireman at 863-763-3117, ext. 5113.

OKEECHOBEE — The identification of a 60-year-old bicyclist killed Monday in an incident on S.R. 70 East has not been released because his next of kin has not been located.

Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) investigators are also asking the public’s help in finding an unidentified tractor-trailer rig that ran over the man as he laid in the westbound lane of the highway.

According to an FHP report the bicyclist was traveling east on the paved shoulder on the south side of the highway around 6:56 a.m. on Sept. 26.

When the pavement ended near the highway’s intersection with N.E. 70th Avenue, the bicyclist apparently entered the eastbound lane of the highway.

This movement put him directly in front of an oncoming 2003 Ford F-150 pickup driven by Harold Browning, 58, of Venus.

The front end of the F-150 then struck the back end of the bicycle. That impact threw the bicyclist onto the pavement in the westbound lane. Mr. Browning’s vehicle came to rest facing east on the north shoulder of S.R. 70 E.

At this point a westbound tractor-trailer struck the bicycle and the man lying in the highway. The driver of the tractor-tailer did not stop, pointed out the report, and continued on in a westerly direction.

The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, stated the report.

If anyone has information regarding the tractor-trailer that left the scene, they are asked to contact FHP at 954-837-4012.

Mr. Browning was not injured, added the FHP report.

OKEECHOBEEE — A 2-year-old Okeechobee child is recovering in a West Palm Beach hospital after he was reportedly run over by a pickup truck earlier this week.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report Omar Jesus Tyson was struck Monday, Sept. 26, when Harvey Lee Thin Elk, 45, was backing out of a driveway on N.W. 64th Avenue.

As Mr. Elk was backing out of the driveway, the left rear tire of his 1994 Chevrolet pickup reportedly struck the toddler.

The child was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach. Omar apparently suffered a punctured lung and some other internal injuries but is recovering.

OKEECHOBEE — When a 22-year-old Okeechobee man learned scammers had moved money from his savings account into his checking account, he quickly froze the accounts and avoided losing any of his money.

A report by Deputy Frank Baum, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), detailed how the man bought a new computer then ran into problems when he tried to load an anti-virus program onto the laptop.

When he couldn’t load the program, he called a phone number for help that was provided by the program.

The computer technician told the local man he would have to remotely access the computer and that he needed a payment of $150 to install the program.

The victim made the payment and the technician, going by the name of David Walker, accessed the computer.

At some point the victim realized the program had not been installed, so he again called the provided phone number to ask that his $150 be refunded. Walker apparently told the victim the money would be refunded.

But, a short time later the victim received a call claiming the company had made an error and mistakenly deposited $5,000 into his account instead of the $150. The victim was then told to go to Walmart and purchase two MoneyGrams for $2,500 each.

“One MoneyGram was to be sent to Vugar Ayralov in Georgia, Russia, and the other to Aykhan Omarov in Georgia, Russia,” stated Deputy Baum’s report.

Thinking something nefarious was underfoot, the victim went to his bank where he found $5,000 had been transferred from his savings account into his checking account.

“The transaction was not made by him,” pointed out Deputy Baum. “(He) put a hold on his bank accounts and informed his financial institution of the possible fraudulent charges to his bank account.”

Deputy Baum’s report went on to add that the victim was never refunded the $150 and has had no further contact with the scammers.

OKEECHOBEE — The identity of a bicyclist killed earlier this week on S.R. 70 East has been released by the Florida Highway Patrol.

According to an FHP release Douglas Irvin Schwalm, 60, of West Palm Beach was pronounced dead at the scene of the Monday, Sept. 26, accident.

The FHP is also asking the public’s help in finding an unidentified tractor-trailer rig that ran over Mr. Schwalm as he laid in the westbound lane of the highway.

An initial FHP report indicted Mr. Schwalm was traveling east on the paved shoulder along the south side of the busy highway around 6:56 a.m. When that pavement ended near S.R. 70’s intersection with N.E. 70th Avenue, the bicyclist apparently entered the eastbound lane of the highway.

When Mr. Schwalm left the paved shoulder he pulled directly into the path of an oncoming 2003 F-150 pickup driven by Harold Browning, 58, of Venus.

The front end of the Ford truck then struck the back end of the bicycle. That impact threw Mr. Schwalm onto the pavement in the westbound lane. The pickup came to rest facing east on the north shoulder of the highway.

At this point, stated the initial report, the westbound tractor-trailer struck the bicycle and the prone bicyclist. The driver of the big rig did not stop, added the report, and continued on in a westerly direction.

If anyone has information regarding the tractor-trailer that left the scene, they are asked to contact FHP at 954-837-4012.

Mr. Browning was not injured.

OKEECHOBEE — A woman being held in the county jail for reportedly violating her probation has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill her former boyfriend.

Tiffany Michelle Platt, 29, U.S. 441 N., was arrested Thursday, Sept. 29, on a felony charge of written threat to kill or do bodily injury.

She is being held in the Okeechobee County Jail on a bond of $25,000.

Platt was incarcerated for allegedly violating her probation that was based on an original felony charge of petit theft – third offense. She was being held without bond on that charge.

Tiffany Michelle Platt, 29

A report by Deputy Ryane Ammons, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), indicated on or about Sept. 15 Platt sent threatening text messages to her former paramour.

The report documented how she allegedly threatened to kill her former boyfriend and how he reportedly received a photo of a silver handgun with wooden grips via text message.

Around 12:25 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, the man was awakened by a noise on the outside of his home. When he went to investigate he found Platt trying to crawl through a kitchen window, stated Deputy Ammons, adding the man had padlocked the door to his home to keep Platt out.

Upon his arrival at the man’s home, Deputy Ammons said he also noticed the front windshield of a blue Chevrolet parked at the man’s home was cracked.

That vehicle apparently belongs to the male victim.

Then, when he entered the home to photograph the scene, Deputy Ammons stated he found a folding camouflage pocket knife near the front door of the residence.

“When asked, (the male victim) stated he did not own a camouflage pocket knife,” noted the deputy.

According to the deputy’s report a witness who lives near the man’s home reportedly made a statement of seeing someone strike the man’s home as well as a blue vehicle with what appeared to be a wooden bat.

“I was unable to determine what item was used to break the windshield due to no point of impact,” offered Deputy Ammons.

The deputy went on to state that he found a wooden walking stick at the scene. He then confiscated that stick as evidence.

Deputy Ammons also applied for, and received, a search warrant for Platt’s cell phone so that text messages sent from her to her ex-boyfriend, as well as those from him to her, could be retrieved and preserved for evidence.

OKEECHOBEE — A second suspect in last month’s armed robbery of a U.S. 441 S.E. convenience store has been arrested.

Detective Cari Arnold, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), said Jesse Rocky Zamora was arrested Saturday, Oct. 8, on her warrant.

Zamora, 31, S.E. 68th Way, is charged with the felonies of robbery with a firearm, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Jesse Zamora, 31

He is being held in the Okeechobee County Jail. He is being held without bond on the armed robbery charge, and his bond on the remaining charges has been set at $225,000.

His alleged partner in the reported holdup, Sherman Lee Bryant, was arrested the day after the alleged robbery following an exhaustive search by a number of law enforcement agencies. Bryant, 35, was arrested by deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) after he was found hiding in some woods by OCSO Deputy Matt Crawford.

Bryant apparently abandoned the Ford Explorer sports utility vehicle he was driving at the J&S Fish Camp, 9500 Conner’s Highway, in Martin County. Because he was in Martin County, Bryant was taken into custody by MCSO deputies and is currently being held in the Martin County Jail on a felony charge of escape and misdemeanor charges of loitering and prowling and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence.
MCSO jail records show he is being held on a total bond of $520,000.

It’s not yet known when Bryant will be returned to Okeechobee County.

According to Detective Arnold’s probable cause affidavit, Zamora entered the Treasure Island Shell Convenience Store, 3609 U.S. 441 S.E., shortly after 10 p.m. on Sept. 18 and robbed the store of an unspecified amount of cash.

Because he was apparently fumbling in his attempt to get the cash out of the register drawer, Detective Arnold pointed out that Zamora finally removed the cash drawer and ran out of the store with it in his left hand and his gun in his right hand.

Detective Arnold noted in her affidavit that Zamora was armed with a dark brown firearm and threatened at least four people with it. The gun has not been recovered, said the detective.

Sherman Lee Bryant, 35

As the Ford SUV sped away from the store, an alleged gun shot was reportedly fired from the passenger’s side of the vehicle where Zamora was seated, added the investigator.

“Zamora fled the store on foot and jumped into a tan in color Ford Explorer driven by Sherman Bryant,” stated the detective’s report. “The suspect vehicle was located at the dead-end road at J&S Fish Camp by Martin County and Okeechobee County deputies. Bryant and Zamora were not inside the vehicle and were assumed to be on the run in the wooded area around J&S Fish Camp.”

Detective Arnold’s affidavit indicates she submitted the information to assistant state attorney Jeffrey P. Davis and he approved the arrest warrant on Sept. 29. Zamora was then located Oct. 8 and arrested by OCSO Deputy Jose Garduno.

While just how much cash was taken from the store has not been released, Detective Arnold did say that $105 in cash has been recovered.

Court records show Zamora is currently awaiting trial stemming from this Nov. 17, 2015, arrest on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine). That case is being prosecuted by assistant state attorney Terry H. Tribble. Zamora is being represented by Port St. Lucie defense attorney Adrienne Bucchi.

Zamora was free on $2,500 bond, but that bond was revoked Oct. 4 based on the notice of probable cause determination for the new arrest.

In 2002 Bryant was found guilty of sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to sell, along with charges of resisting a law enforcement officer with violence and escape. He was sentenced in 2005 to five years in prison, and was released from the Department of Corrections (DOC) July 1, 2009.

Besides the OCSO and MCSO, other agencies taking part in the search for the two men included the Okeechobee City Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and K-9 officers from the Okeechobee Correctional Institution.

See also Armed Robbery Suspect Nabbed

OKEECHOBEE — With 103 open burglary cases in Okeechobee County since June, investigators with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) are asking for the public’s help.

“If you see something, call a deputy. We’d rather have a call that turns out to be nothing, than no call,” OCSO public information officer Michele Bell said Wednesday, Oct. 12.

She went on to explain that many times the thieves are very brazen — they simply kick in the front door then go into the home and help themselves to whatever they want. The burglars have been stealing electronics (TVs, computers, etc.), jewelry, generators, guns and cash.

“It seems like we’re having these every day,” she offered.

She went on to point out that three more home break-ins were assigned to detectives Wednesday. Those burglaries occurred Tuesday, Oct. 11, in Larodo Shores on U.S. 441 S.E.

OCSO Detective Bryan Lowe said the modus operandi in those burglaries was the same as the others — the thieves kicked in the front doors to enter the homes.

He went on to explain that a lot of the burglaries are being committed on homes that are by themselves or where homes are all in a row, such as in Larodo Shores.

“When they’re in a row, it makes it hard to see your neighbor’s home,” he said.

Like Mrs. Bell, Detective Lowe said the best way to prevent or stop these types of burglaries is to pay attention to what’s going on in your neighborhood.

If you see a strange vehicle driving around in your neighborhood or pulling into a driveway, call the sheriff’s office.

“Make contact with your neighbors and watch out for each other,” offered Detective Lowe. “And lock your doors, obviously.”

He also said it would be a good idea to document the serial numbers on your electronics, guns and such. If you have those serial numbers it makes it easier to locate the items in area pawnshops.

“It also will help with your insurance,” he noted.

Photographing or taking videos of all your belongings can also be helpful to law enforcement.

If you see something suspicious, contact the sheriff’s office at 863-763-3117.

OKEECHOBEE — A detective with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) is asking the public to keep their eyes open for a stolen trailer that will likely contain two stolen generators.

Detective Mark Shireman said those items were stolen from the 32000 block area of N.W. Third Drive in Okeechobee County sometime between 7 p.m. on Oct. 5, to 10 a.m. on Oct. 6.

Stolen white trailer

He described the trailer as a white, 12-foot enclosed Wells Cargo trailer bearing the Florida license tag of 913VWV. The vehicle identification number (VIN) of that trailer is 1WC2OOD15V3036863.

Detective Shireman said one of the generators is a black, Briggs & Stratton 5650 watt model. The second is a red Generac 5500 watt model. The serial numbers for those generators is unknown.

If anyone has information about this case, they are asked to contact Detective Shireman at 863-763-3117, ext. 5113 and refer to case numbers 16S2271 and 16S22779.

Stolen generator

OKEECHOBEE — Two local vehicles have been stolen. Stories are below.

A local detective is seeking information on a 2011 Ford Explorer that was stolen Oct. 15 between the hours of 1 and 7:40 a.m.
Detective Mark Shireman said the bronze sports utility vehicle was taken from the 3600 block of S.W. 19th Street. The vehicle, which is valued at $24,000, was left unlocked and the ignition keys were in the SUV’s center console.

Stolen 2011 bronze Ford Explorer

The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) investigator said a second vehicle — a 2014 Ford Transit van — was burglarized but not stolen even though it, too, was unlocked. Both sets of ignition keys to the Transit were left in the console and they were stolen.

The Explorer’s Florida license tag is 8222UB, and its vehicle identification number (VIN) is 1FMHK7F84BGA06618.

According to the OCSO investigator the Explorer has tinted windows, a plastic Florida State University badge on the tailgate and is missing one rain guard on the front passenger side.

If you have any information regarding this case, call Detective Shireman at 863-763-3117 and refer to case number 16S23503.

Info sought on stolen Monte Carlo SS

OKEECHOBEE — Detectives with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) are searching for a 1985 Monte Carlo Super Sport that was stolen sometime between Oct. 14 and Oct. 16.

The car was stolen from a home in the 1700 block of S.W. 67th Drive. It was unlocked and the ignition keys were left in the vehicle.

Stolen 1985 Monte Carlo SS

According to detectives the exterior and the velour interior of the car are maroon in color. The windows are not tinted, the car is equipped with a V-8 motor and there is a Boston Red Sox license plate cover on the car. Also, the lock on the trunk does not work properly.

The car should be bearing Florida license plate BCSH84, and a vehicle identification number (VIN) of 1G1GZ37G2FR111817.

If you have any information regarding this theft, contact either Detective Marty Faulkner or Detective Mark Shireman at 863-763-3117 and refer to case number 16S23625.

OKEECHOBEE — One vehicle owner lost a $600 pair of sunglasses; another lost a $2,000 ring; yet another person lost their 2003 pickup truck — all, because they didn’t lock their vehicles.

Detective Bill Saum, of the Okeechobee City Police Department (OCPD), said all three thefts occurred sometime Tuesday night and were reported to police Wednesday morning, Oct. 19.

According to Detective Saum one vehicle break-in occurred in the 500 block of N.E. 10th Avenue when thieves found two unlocked vehicles. They walked off with $10 in cash and a $600 pair of sunglasses.

Two more unlocked vehicles were burglarized at a residence in the 300 block of S.E. Sixth Ave., added the investigator. Along with a $2,000 ring, thieves made off with $150 in cash and a Case knife.

Thieves are opportunists and when they found the ignition keys in an unlocked 2003 dark gray Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck they made the most of the opportunity, pointed out Detective Saum, and they drove off with the truck. This theft, he added, took place in the Riverbend Mobile Home Park, in the 1300 block of South Parrott Avenue.

“If anyone saw anything at all, please call us,” urged Detective Saum, regarding the three incidents.

He went on to point out OCPD Detective Jack Boon is the lead investigators on these thefts. If you have any information, contact Detective Boon at 863-763-9786.

OKEECHOBEE — Three more homes across Okeechobee County were broken into Wednesday, Oct. 19, by brazen daylight burglars who simply kicked in the doors.

These break-in artists are spending very little time inside the homes. And, in the latest burglaries, limited themselves to purloining only jewelry, guns and cash.

“They’re, basically, going through bedrooms and ransacking the drawers,” Michele Bell, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) public information officer, said Thursday.

She went on to say the doors on all the homes burglarized Wednesday were locked, and the thieves either kicked open the doors or pried them open.

Since June the sheriff’s office has been deluged with these types of burglaries. OCSO records show there have been at least 106 of these ‘kick in’ burglaries throughout the county.

“It seems like we’re having these every day,” said Mrs. Bell.

According to OCSO records, Wednesday’s burglaries occurred in the 800 block of N.E. 101st Avenue, the 12000 block of U.S. 441 S.E. and in the 11300 block of N.E. 51st Court.

Mrs. Bell said neighbors need to be vigilant of what’s going on in the homes around them.

“And take notice if you see someone driving slowly through the neighborhood,” she offered. “If you see something suspicious, call the sheriff’s office.”

She went on to say if a homeowner has video surveillance cameras on their property, activate those cameras. If they have an alarm system, activate it.

“It doesn’t do any good if these things aren’t activated,” Mrs. Bell said.

Last week, three homes in Larodo Shores on U.S. 441 S.E. were burglarized. Again, the thieves kicked in the front door of those homes to gain entry.

OCSO Detective Bryan Lowe said in an interview after those burglaries that it is important for homeowners to make contact with their neighbors and to watch out for each other.

“And lock your doors, obviously,” he said.

In prior burglaries thieves have televisions, computers, generators, guns, jewelry and cash.

Detective Lowe also suggested homeowners should document the serial numbers on their guns, electronics and such. Having the serial numbers can help law enforcement locate the items in area pawn shops.

It can also be a big help to law enforcement if the homeowner would photograph or video their belongings.

If you see something suspicious in your neighborhood, contact the sheriff’s office at 863-763-3117.