A 7-year-old child was allegedly locked out of his home all day and left to fend for himself because his mother was angry with her boyfriend.

On Tuesday, May 14, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Carl Jones responded to a call regarding a suspicious incident. When he arrived, the caller informed him that a young boy had come to her home earlier and played with her son. While there, he told her his mother had locked him out of the house all day because she was mad at her boyfriend. The 7-year-old allegedly said the boyfriend told him to leave and not come back. The caller said she took the boy home to try to find out why the boy was not allowed in the house, but said when she knocked on the door, the boy’s mother would not open the door, and began to yell at her son through the door. The woman brought the boy back to her home and called law enforcement.

When Deputy Jones spoke with another witness, she said the little boy told her his mother told him he could sleep in the suitcase he had with him.

The young boy reportedly told Deputy Jones the only thing he had to eat all day was a cookie and that his mother finally gave him an almost empty two-liter bottle of soda to drink.

When Deputy Jones and the boy arrived at the boy’s home, they reportedly found the door unlocked, and the boy let the deputy in. They found the boy’s mother, identified as Jessica Allen, 46, Southwest 28th Street, lying on the couch, covered with a blanket. According to the report, the home was in an unsanitary condition, with empty soda cans on the floor and end tables. The couch had a garbage bag and loose garbage lying all over it. An open box cutter was lying on the couch where the boy allegedly slept. There were multiple black trash bags, full of trash, lying on the floor in the hallway. The kitchen sink was filled with dirty dishes, disposable cups and soda cans with mold growing on them. The kitchen counter had dirty dishes stacked on it. The stove held pots filled with rotten food. One bathroom had clothes on the floor and garbage in the sink. The master bathroom had trash bags filled with clothes covering the sink, tub and floor. The master bedroom had garbage and miscellaneous items strewn everywhere. The child’s room had toys everywhere, and the mattress was upright against the wall. The laundry room had trash bags filled with clothes on the floor and stacked up near the door. A marijuana grinder with suspected marijuana inside it was on the table beside the couch.

Deputy Jones reportedly called EMS to check on the well-being of Ms. Allen, but she refused care. The deputy then called Ms. Allen’s mother and asked her to come get the child.

Ms. Allen was arrested and charged with felony child neglect. Her bond will be set by the judge.

Two women and a child were allegedly threatened by a gunman on Thursday evening, May 16, in the 200 block of Northeast 11th Street.

Okeechobee Police Sgt. Belen Reyna was reportedly conducting a traffic stop when approached by a female who said she had just been assaulted by Ryan Tiger. The woman said he had a gun and had threatened to kill her, her child and her fiancé. Sgt. Reyna said the woman appeared to be scared and was shaking and crying. The woman reported she had gone to pick up her friend when she was approached by Tiger, who was waving a gun. She said she told him her child was in the car, but he reportedly said he did not care; he would kill the child, too.

Sgt. Reyna along with additional units went to the apartments where Tiger lived and found him outside. When Tiger saw the officers, he allegedly began walking toward his apartment but finally stopped near his porch and held his hands in the air. Although they did not find a gun on him, a gun was found approximately 10 feet away. It was a silver and black handgun.

Tiger was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bond will be set by the judge.

At approximately 7 a.m. Friday, the Okeechobee County Sheriff Office’s Narcotics Task Force, along with the OCSO Special Response Team and agents from DEA, served a narcotics search warrant in the 7800 block of Northwest 86th Court. The search yielded methamphetamine, THC resin, marijuana, heroin and two rifles. Three subjects were arrested and face multiple charges. Those arrested were: Kevin Jurich, 48; Richard Wainer, 44; and, Kira Krantz, 37.

Sheriff Noel E. Stephen stated, “We will continue to clean up our neighborhoods and remove these types of folks.”

LABELLE — On Thursday, May 9, at approximately 5:50 p.m., the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office received a call from American Advanced, located at 51 S. Lee St. #6, a check cashing and payday loan center, reporting they had just been robbed. The caller went on to say a person entered the store and demanded all the cash and then left. No one was injured.

When deputies arrived on scene they found both employees safe. When investigators began looking into the crime, they were aware that two other American Advanced centers had been robbed in Lee County. Investigators had received through information shared by Lee County, that this was possibly the same individual and there were a great deal of similarities between this robbery and the others in Lee County.

On May 11, Hendry County investigators were notified by Lee County Sheriff’s Office that a search warrant had been conducted in Lehigh Acres and that they had taken the suspect, John Wayne Ballester (52), into custody. They did locate and remove the clothing Ballester had worn during the robbery in LaBelle.

Ballester was arrested on several charges resulting from crimes committed in Lee County. Ballester was taken into custody and is currently being held in Lee County Jail. Hendry County investigators have also filed charges of robbery, aggravated assault, and grand theft.

Ballester is currently being held on $150,000 bond.

HENDRY/GLADES — On April 21, at approximately 6 p.m., Hendry County deputies responded to 161 Martin St. in LaBelle, after receiving a call for assistance from someone who had witnessed a man shouting and later strike a pregnant woman. It was believed the suspect was barricaded in the residence.

Upon arrival, deputies made contact with a witness who saw the subject, later identified as Justin Pruner (aka Justin Walker), strike the pregnant female in the back of the head.

The witness told deputies on scene that they believed that Pruner was still inside the residence.

Deputies later discovered that Pruner is a fugitive from North Carolina for Absconding from Supervision for Kidnapping, Assault by Strangulation on female, communicating threats, and violation of protection order. It was learned that Pruner has a prior history of violence against women. He was arrested in 2015 on domestic violence charges.

On April 27, the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office received information that Pruner was staying at a campsite at the Fisheating Creek Campground, in Glades County. Undercover investigators from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office did locate and identify the subject as being present at the campground.

Pruner was taken into custody and transported to the Glades County Jail on charges of possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. Officials from North Carolina were notified and Pruner was extradited to North Carolina.

After a vehicle was pulled from a canal last week, the deceased driver was found to have multiple gunshot wounds to the neck and head. Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jonathon Gove responded to a call early Friday morning, May 17. The caller said there was a vehicle in the canal at the 1000 block of Cemetery Road. After the black Infinity was pulled from the water, the driver was identified as 43-year-old Paul Murphy of Jupiter.

Cherish Murphy, the victim’s wife was in Okeechobee at that time looking for her husband and was asked to go to the Sheriff’s office to file a report. Mrs. Murphy reportedly said her husband was in Okeechobee to see Jimbo Hodges because Jimbo owed him $5,000. She said Mr. Murphy was supposed to meet Hodges at 9p.m. and then go visit another friend named Alfredo in Central Florida. She became concerned, she said when she received a call from Alfredo saying her husband never arrived. She said she began calling her husband and texting Hodges but got no reply until about 4a.m. when Hodges allegedly called her and told her he had seen her husband earlier in the night. She said he called again at 6a.m. with a different story, this time saying he did not see her husband but that her husband dropped something off. She said she became so worried she came to town to look for him and found his tools in Hodge’s garbage can at the end of his road.

Det. Ted Van Deman asked Mrs. Murphy why her husband loaned Hodges $5,000 if they were financially strained, but she would not explain. After he told her her husband was found dead in a canal, she told him that her husband paints houses for a living but to make ends meet, he sometimes sells marijuana. She said recently he supplied Hodges with $5,000 worth of marijuana to sell and that a couple days earlier, her husband went to his home to collect the money but Hodges tried to give him a tractor instead. She said her husband declined and said he would be back for the money. She said Hodges was the only person her husband would be stopping to do business with in Okeechobee.

Two of Hodges’ neighbors reportedly said they heard gunshots during the night. On the driveway of Hodges’ home, they found two red colored stains, and they found an unspent .45 cartridge in the backyard. Based on these findings and additional evidence, Hodges was arrested and charged with murder in the second degree.

OKEECHOBEE — A local woman called the police after her bank notified her that her account had a balance of only $10, and she knew she had not spent the money. The woman told Okeechobee Police Department Sgt. Skip Eddings after her bank emailed her about her low balance, she went looking for the debit card for that account. She explained that she never uses that account, and it should have had quite a bit more money in it. The debit card was not where she normally kept it, and there were over $600 in charges on the account, she said.

Sgt. Eddings asked her if she suspected anyone, and she told him Anton A. Hunt Jr., 47, has been staying in her home since February of this year. She said she keeps the card in her bedroom, and Hunt does not have access to her bedroom, but she believes he must be the one who took it and used it.
After Sgt. Eddings spoke with Hunt, he was arrested and charged with theft from a person 65 years of age or older and credit card fraud. His bond was set at $20,000.

CLEWISTON — A Hendry County Sheriff’s Office report stated that on April 30, the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a residential burglary in Clewiston. The victim discovered the front door had been pried open and several firearms were stolen from within the residence.

A suspect, Jesus Ramos, was eventually arrested for the burglary and grand theft of the firearms.

Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Division interviewed the suspect and developed information that led them to later execute a search warrant on East El Paso Avenue in Clewiston. The result of the search warrant was a seizure of 1,296 grams of marijuana, 14 grams of methamphetamine, 47 Oxycodone prescription pills, 10.4 grams of MDMA, 121 Xanax prescription pills, 3.9 grams of Fentanyl, seven marijuana vape pens and several individually packaged Fruity Pebble snacks laced with THC. One of the stolen firearms was also recovered in Ramos’s possession at the time of the search warrant.

Ramos was arrested and transported to the Hendry County Jail on charges of possession of firearm in the commission of felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, trafficking in oxycodone, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, operating a drug house, dealing in stolen property, cultivating and/or producing marijuana and violation of probation.

Ramos is currently being held in the Hendry County Jail with no bond.

LABELLE — Glades County Sheriffs Office has been conducting a narcotic investigation in the Muse Community. This investigation was an effort between the Criminal Investigations and Uniform Patrol Divisions which concluded with a search warrant being executed on May 21, at 1310 Summerall Road. The Criminal Investigations Division had been purchasing narcotics from the resident, Rodney Hernandez, 53.

After making numerous narcotic purchases, a search warrant was issued and executed by GCSO personnel. Additional evidence was obtained through the search and Hernandez was subsequently arrested and charged accordingly.

Hernandez is being held at the Glades County Jail on the following charges:
• Possession of a synthetic narcotic within 1,000 ft. of a specified area (three counts)
• Sale of a synthetic narcotic within 1,000 ft. of a specified area (three counts)
• Operating a drug house (three counts)

A bond of $225,000 was set by the judge.

On May 22, Hernandez was charged with the following charges, based upon the evidence located during the execution of the search warrant:
• Possession of methamphetamine within 1,000 ft. of a specified area
• Child neglect
• Possession of marijuana under 20 grams
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Possession of synthetic narcotic without a prescription (four counts)

Hernandez is being held without bond pending his first appearance hearing.

A total of 32 firearms were also taken from the residence, one of which was reported stolen in Hendry County.

OKEECHOBEE — An Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office press release stated that on May 22, a 2018 Kubota Mini Excavator on tracks was reported stolen from the 1300 block of U.S. 441 S.E. in Okeechobee. The equipment was stolen between the dates of May 15 to May 22. The color of the excavator is orange, model number KX41-3VR1, serial number 30483, three teeth on the bucket, and has a KX41-3 sticker on it. The excavator is valued at 20,000.

The above photo is for the likeness only of the excavator.

If you have any information, contact Deputy Huffman at 863)763-3117, reference case #19S12988, or contact Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477. If your tip leads to an arrest, you may be entitled to a reward.

PALM BEACH COUNTY — Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County needs your help in locating Eddie Anderson, 41, black, male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 140 pounds, black hair, brown eyes and he has multiple tattoos.

His last known address was on Runyon Village in Belle Glade.

Anderson is wanted on a warrant for violation of community control for a charge or burglary of a dwelling. He has a charge of failure to appear to answer to charges of possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, operating a vehicle while drivers license suspended/cancelled/revoked.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS (8477), or remain anonymous by downloading the new app “Connect & Protect,” “See Something Say Something” for any Apple or Android smartphone.

CLEWISTON — A Hendry County press release stated that on Tuesday, May 28, at approximately 8 a.m. the Clewiston High School Student Resource Officer (SRO) received a call from the Clewiston Middle School SRO that they had received a tip that either one of Clewiston Middle School students, 15-year-old Ricardo Marin or one of the Clewiston High School students, 16-year-old Jesus Marin, may be in possession of a stolen handgun that another Hendry County student had taken from their parent and gave to one of the Marin brothers.

The Clewiston High School SRO immediately contacted the assistant principal and they located Jesus Marin in a classroom. Both the SRO and the assistant principal escorted Jesus Marin from the classroom toward the office. While walking to the school office, the SRO observed an object that appeared to move about in Marin’s pants pocket. It appeared as though it could be a cell phone or a handgun; at that point the SRO stopped Marin and grabbed the item from Marin’s pocket. He removed from Marin’s pants pocket a small Smith & Wesson .380 semi-automatic handgun. The chamber was empty but it contained three rounds of ammo in the magazine. The SRO then placed Marin under arrest and took possession of the handgun. After placing Jesus Marin under arrest, the SRO also found in his possession a vape pen that tested positive for THC.

Hendry County investigators arrived at Clewiston High School and began interviews. However, aside from Jesus Marin being in possession of the firearm, investigators and SROs were able to obtain additional information.

It was determined that 13-year-old Juan Vasquez, eighth grade student at LaBelle Middle School had taken his mother’s gun; it is unknown at this time why he took it but it is believed to be for the purpose of cash. He then met with the Marin brothers the next day and gave the gun to them to sell. A snap chat video was made of the firearm offering it for sale and was found on a cell phone.

After speaking with the mother about the theft of the firearm and circumstances following that, the mother did press charges on all three suspects, to include her son.

All three students were taken into custody and transported to the Hendry County Jail in LaBelle; they will then be held at the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Juan Vasquez, eighth grade student at LaBelle Middle School, was charged with armed burglary, grand theft of a firearm, dealing in stolen property, transferring the firearm to a minor and sale of stolen property via internet. He is currently being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Jesus Marin, ninth grade student at Clewiston High School, was charged with possession of a firearm on school property, grand theft of a firearm, dealing in stolen property, possession of synthetic narcotic within 1000 feet of a School and possession of drug equipment on school campus. He is currently being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Ricardo Marin, eighth grade student at Clewiston Middle School, was charged with dealing in stolen property and sale of stolen property via internet. He is currently being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice.

PALM BEACH COUNTY — Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County needs your help in locating Charles Day, 65, black, male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 160 pounds, bald, brown eyes and he has multiple tattoos.

His last known address was on Southwest Third Street in Belle Glade.

Day is wanted on a warrant for failure to appear to answer to charges of grand theft, possession of paraphernalia; and failure to appear to answer to charges of an unregistered motor vehicle.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS (8477), or remain anonymous by downloading the new app “Connect & Protect,” “See Something Say Something” for any Apple or Android smartphone.

BELLE GLADE — A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office press release stated that on May 14, detectives obtained a warrant for the arrest of 38-year-old Jocquin Lavoy Turner, of Belle Glade, for sexual battery with a deadly weapon against a victim 12 years of age or younger. Turner was arrested on June 1. He is currently in the Palm Beach County Jail. Being held without bond.

On May 2, 1998, the victim reported being sexually battered by three unknown suspects in Belle Glade.

Turner was arrested as the result of another successful conclusion of Senate Bill 636 – Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Cases.

OKEECHOBEE — An Okeechobee man was arrested early Sunday morning after he was allegedly found sleeping behind the wheel of a running vehicle at a local gas station. According to the report by a member of the Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force, 35-year-old Caleb Hunter Pearce, State Road 78 East, was found asleep in a white Chevrolet pickup. At the time, he had his right hand on the wheel and in his left hand he was holding a $20 bill. The vehicle was reportedly running and in drive. The deputy entered the vehicle through the passenger door and put the vehicle in park, turned the truck off and removed the keys before attempting to awaken Mr. Pearce.

After several attempts, the deputy reported he was finally able to wake Mr. Pearce up, and he noticed his eyes were red and watery. When he requested his license and registration, Mr. Pearce tried to give him the $20. He then asked Mr. Pearce to step out of the vehicle and he reportedly had to use the door to keep his balance and could barely stand up. After field sobriety tests, Mr. Pearce was arrested and charged with DUI. His bond was set at $500.

CLEWISTON — Below you will find a photo of Jamal Hubert last seen Sunday, June 2, at his home on Maryland Avenue in Clewiston, and it is believed that something may be seriously wrong. A missing persons report has been filed with Hendry County Sheriff Department. If you have any information or know the whereabouts of Jamal Hubert please call Hendry County Sheriff’s office at 863-674-5600.

PALM BEACH COUNTY — Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County needs your help in locating Bradley Dunn, 46, white, male, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 160 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes and he has multiple tattoos.

His last known address was on N.E. 25th Street in Belle Glade.

Dunn is wanted on a warrant for violation of probation for a charge of dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS (8477), or remain anonymous by downloading the new app “Connect & Protect,” “See Something Say Something” for any Apple or Android smartphone.

OKEECHOBEE — A woman who threatened to slit a deputy’s throat and kill his wife and children will be completing her sentence in jail after violating probation. On Christmas morning 2018, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryane Ammons was contacted by a man claiming his former girlfriend, Heather Ellsworth, was threatening to hit him with a weed eater. When Deputy Ammons responded to the call, he found Ellsworth not far from the residence, and he placed her under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon.

While en route, Ms. Ellsworth became agitated and began screaming, stating several times, “I should have never went back to the cabin.” She then became enraged at the deputy, stating, “If you don’t let me out of this car I’m going to slit your throat,” and “When I get out of jail, I’m going to kill you and your kids.” Then, she began banging her head on the partition between the seats. Upon arrival at the jail, she was charged with corruption by threat against a public servant.

Ms. Ellsworth was sentenced to 18 months probation in February of 2019 but almost immediately violated her probation. Because she violated her probation, she was sentenced last week to one year in jail. She will be credited with the four months and 20 days she has served.

OKEECHOBEE — After a hit and run involving a red Hyundai, two men who were seen in a vehicle matching that description were pulled over and questioned. According to the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office report, the 911 caller said someone in the suspect vehicle displayed a firearm and shot at his vehicle. He also said the Hyundai was occupied by three males. While en route to the scene, OCSO Deputy Robert Gonzalez observed a vehicle matching the description given by the 911 caller. The vehicle had front-end damage and was traveling northbound on U.S. 441 South occupied by two Hispanic males, and he made a traffic stop.

The two males were ordered out of the vehicle and were identified as Diego Salcedo, 19, Northwest 46th Avenue and Jovanie Bustos, 19, Southwest 10th Avenue. Deputy Gonzalez reportedly told the men they were being detained because there were allegations the vehicle had been involved in a traffic crash.

Because the men were allegedly involved in a traffic accident, EMS was called to the scene, but they both refused medical treatment.

A search of the vehicle reportedly produced a small amount of suspected marijuana which field-tested positive, and four cold cans of beer were found on the passenger side floorboard. Both were charged with possession of alcohol by a person under 21 and both were charged with possession of marijuana under 20 grams. Bond was set at $1,000. Salcedo was given a citation for driving without a license.