OKEECHOBEE — Thieves have hit a recreational vehicle (RV) storage facility on U.S. 441 S.E. hard and have made off with a number of television sets.

Various reports by Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) deputies indicate there have been as many as 12 documented burglaries of RVs parked at A Plus RV, located at 3606 U.S. 441 S.E. So far, at least nine televisions and one CD/VCR player have been stolen.

In some instances deputies have been unable to determine if anything was taken because the owners have not been contacted.

The OCSO reports also point out attempts had been made to gain entrance into a number of other RVs parked at the facility. But, for whatever reason, the interlopers did not gain entry.

According to the reports the first burglary occurred Dec. 28, 2016, while the last one reported was Thursday, April 13.

In some of the break-ins, OCSO crime scene technologist Kathleen Watson has been able to retrieve latent prints from the campers.

A similar incident occurred March 16 at the Quick & Easy Storage facility, 4619 U.S. 441 S.E.

OCSO Deputy Mathew Huffman noted in his report the owner of a 2017 Starcraft RV had left his camper at the facility overnight. When he returned the next day he found someone had tampered with the lock on the door.

The only thing he could find missing was a 20-inch Samsung television that was mounted on the wall of the camper.

All of these cases have been turned over to OCSO Detective Sergeant Jimmy Mills.

If you have any information concerning these burglaries, contact Sgt. Mills at 863-763-3117.

OKEECHOBEE — Local police had to physically restrain a visibly upset man Saturday who was allegedly armed with a handgun and was driving around the house of a former girlfriend.

Police arrest reports document how Stanislaus Rodrigues, 36, sent threatening text messages to the woman that said she, and her family, were dead.

Stanislaus Rodrigues, 36

When officers from the Okeechobee City Police Department (OCPD) were finally able to get control of Rodrigues, a paraplegic, he was arrested on felony charges of fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer and written threats to kill. He was also charged with resisting a law enforcement officer without violence.

Rodrigues was booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on an $11,000 bond. Jail records indicate he was released on bond.

An arrest report by Officer Cesar Romero indicated the April 22 incident started when his agency was contacted by the Seminole Police Department (SPD), who warned the local agency that Rodrigues had been trespassed from the reservation. The report said he “… became very upset and irate.”

The SPD also requested OCPD officers check on the welfare of the man’s former girlfriend.

Around 2:14 p.m. Officer Romero met with the woman, who verified she had received those texts and that she’s afraid of Rodrigues because he supposedly carries a gun.

According to the officer’s report his agency was contacted around 2:52 p.m. that Rodrigues was at the woman’s home, and he was armed.

When Officer Romero arrived he found the man sitting in a black Mini Cooper that was parked in front of the residence. Although the officer ordered Rodrigues to put his hands on the steering wheel, the man reportedly refused to do so.

The officer then moved closer so he could better see the man’s hands.

“At that point he (Rodrigues) began to roll up his window and lock the doors, while driving away through (the woman’s) yard,” stated the officer.

Officer Romero said he ran along side the vehicle and ordered the man to stop. But, he didn’t.

“Rodrigues drove around the house at least twice, blowing the horn, before coming to a stop in the front yard right by the front door,” noted the officer.

Officer Romero ran to the driver’s side door with his duty weapon drawn, while Sergeant P.C. Eddings was able to open a door. This allowed the officer to reach in and pull Rodrigues from the car.

The officer went on to point out a Springfield Armory XD 40 handgun was found behind the passenger seat “… that was within the driver’s reach.”

Even though the officers had the man on the ground he would not allow them to gain control of his hands so they could handcuff him. Both Officer Romero and Sgt. Eddings tried to stun the man with their tasers, but to no avail.

Finally, a third officer joined in and they were then able to cuff Rodrigues.
Rodrigues, continued the officer, then complained he was having trouble breathing so emergency medical personnel was called to the scene. When they were finished evaluating Rodrigues, he was placed under arrest.

OKEECHOBEE — The repeat of an incident in which an 18-month-old child was found wandering about his neighborhood was just too much for Detective Jack Boon last week.

So, the Okeechobee City Police Department (OCPD) investigator arrested the boy’s mother Friday on a felony charge of child neglect.

Kristie Lynn Brown, 31

Kristie Lynn Brown, 31, N.E. Eighth Ave., was then booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on a bond of $2,500. Jail records show she has been released on bond.

The detective’s arrest report indicated the first incident occurred around 1 p.m. on April 4 when another neighborhood resident saw the boy “… wandering the streets unsupervised.” Apparently, the toddler had made his way outside by opening a sliding door and a baby gate on the screened porch.

The sliding door, continued the detective’s report, had a small hole drilled at the top where a rod can be inserted to prevent the door from being opened.

According to Detective Boon, the mother assured him she would buy new locks and have them installed by the next day.

However, those locks were not installed, stated the detective, and the boy once again opened the door and gate on April 25 and left the home.

The father, continued the report, was asleep on the couch at the time and did not know when the child left the home.

When the child was located he was clad only in a T-shirt, noted Detective Boon, who added the boy was not wearing shoes or a diaper.

The detective then noted he returned to the home on April 26 to find the locks had not been installed.

Detective Boon went on point out that he interviewed neighbors and other residents of the neighborhood. One neighbor reportedly told him on more than one occasion they had seen the toddler outside the home and under the supervision of his 7-year-old brother.

Another resident told the investigator they have seen the children in the yard playing while Brown sat on the front porch and watched them.

However, the resident reportedly continued, there have been times those children came to the resident’s home to play and “… the mom was not around,” noted Detective Boon.

OKEECHOBEE — Cynthia Redmon and her husband Peter Bouchard were awakened by a loud noise early Saturday that turned out to be a tractor-trailer wheel and tire that had crashed into the front of their home.

The wheel and tire not only ripped two windows off the front of their home on U.S. 441 S.E. at County Road 15-B, but also rammed into the front of the couple’s 1992 Jeep. Apparently, said Mrs. Redmon, the wheel came off the tractor-trailer, struck the Jeep then bounced onto their house.

The window of an Okeechobee County residence was damaged when a semi wheel came off the truck, hit a vehicle and bounced against the house.

And, it did so with a tremendous ruckus.

“It scared the daylights out of us, as a matter of fact,” said Mrs. Redmon in a phone interview Tuesday, May 2.

At first, she thought the couple’s bicycles had fallen over in the front room, which had happened before. But when they got up to investigate the commotion, their bikes were still upright.

She said Mr. Bouchard grabbed his gun and went outside and saw where something had struck his Jeep. As he was walking back to the house he saw the wheel and tire.

“He wondered where the wheel came from,” recalled Mrs. Redmon, who went on to add the truck driver did not stop.

But, wait, there’s more. Later on in the day the couple were heading northwest into Okeechobee when they found another tractor-trailer wheel and tire along the east side of U.S. 441 S.E. The wheel was leaning against a wire fence.

“We had not noticed the wheel before,” pointed out Mrs. Redmon.

A report by Deputy Joann Henderson, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), stated both tires were Atlas-brand tires.

Mrs. Redmon said she did not look at the tires to see if they were the same type of tire. But, she continued, the two wheels “looked the same to me.”

Which brought up this question? Did the truck driver know the wheels had come off?

“I’ve never driven a semi, but I would think there would be some sort of wobbling there,” she mused.

And if a wheel hitting your vehicle and home weren’t odd enough, Mrs. Redmon said they are putting up a privacy fence around their home and the wheel found its way between two posts. The fencing had not yet been attached to the posts.

Mrs. Redmon said no one — not even the couple’s dogs or their 11-year-old cat — were hurt in the incident.

Where the wheel hit the front of the home was right where the cat would have been sleeping. She said she found glass inside her home, but none had struck the cat.

A report was taken by Deputy Henderson, but Mrs. Redmon has also contacted the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT).

Tuesday, she received an email from DOT indicating the incident has been turned over to the state’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).

According to Deputy Henderson’s report, damage to the home was estimated to be about $8,000 while damages to the Jeep are estimated to be around $3,000. The couple does not have insurance on their home or vehicle.

Mrs. Redmon explained they bought their home outright and chose not to carry insurance on the dwelling due to the cost.

Even though both she and her husband were frightened about what happened, Mrs. Redmon took it a bit further: “What if it had been a school day,” when kids would have been waiting for their bus?

If you have any information concerning this incident, call the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office at 863-763-3117.

Early Saturday morning, a loose semi truck wheel damaged the front of a parked 1992 Jeep Cherokee. The semi driver did not stop.

A truck wheel came off a semi, early Saturday morning, struck a vehicle, broke the window on a home and came to rest in front of the damaged home.

A 10-year-old Okeechobee boy was arrested Wednesday on charges that he stole a pickup truck and drove at speeds of up to 100 mph.

The boy, and a young girl with him, were picked up by deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) after Wyatt Joel Baumhardt had apparently wrecked the 1999 Dodge pickup and left it in a ditch.

Baumhardt, N.E. 12th St., was later arrested by an Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) deputy on a felony charge of grand theft-auto. He was also arrested on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license.

The boy was booked into the Okeechobee County Jail then released into the custody of his parents.

Deputy Devon Satallante indicated in his arrest report the girl with Baumhardt was not charged.

Neither child was seriously injured when Baumhardt apparently lost control of the pickup and ran into a ditch on Warfield Road in Martin County.

According to the deputy’s arrest report he first saw the truck May 3 around 7:50 a.m. on N.E. Eighth Street.

“It was traveling at a high rate of speed. I was unable to see the driver or if there were any other occupants in the vehicle,” noted the deputy.

He turned around and began to follow the truck with his emergency lights on in an attempt to stop the vehicle.

The driver of the truck, later identified as Baumhardt, turned onto N.E. 60th Avenue then turned on to S.R. 70 East and turned onto the road parallel to the construction zone, stated the report.

Deputy Satallante went on to state he then lost sight of the truck in about the 1000 block of S.R. 70 East.

“Martin County located the vehicle, unoccupied, in a ditch off Warfield Road in Indiantown,” stated the deputy. “Martin County located Wyatt and a 12-year-old girl walking down the road not too far from the vehicle.”

Later, the girl reportedly told OCSO Deputy Sergeant Rosemary Farless that Wyatt picked her up at her bus stop and drove “… her down several roads at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.”

He was driving so erratically she hit her head on the ceiling of the truck’s cab, added Deputy Satallante’s report.

While on S.R. 710, Baumhardt apparently was “… swerving in between lanes and was driving into on-coming traffic,” before he lost control of the pickup, the girl reportedly told deputies.

The truck was later returned to its owner.

A 13-year-old Osceola Middle School (OMS) student was arrested after he allegedly gave a fellow student two baggies of suspected marijuana to “hold” for him.

Jordan James Rickard, N.E. 11th Court, Okeechobee, was arrested May 2 on a juvenile take and hold warrant charging him with the felony of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a school.

He was booked into the Okeechobee County Jail then taken to the St. Lucie Regional Detention Center in Fort Pierce.

In his probable cause affidavit used to obtain the warrant, assistant state attorney Terry Tribble outlined how Rickard was seen on school surveillance video handing something to a female student on April 17.

Mr. Tribble went on to state a witness reportedly saw Rickard hand two baggies of what was thought to be marijuana to the girl while the students were in line for breakfast.
The boy was taken to the office of OMS dean Glenda Kay Jarriel who searched Rickard but found nothing. However, it was later learned the boy had actually brought three small plastic baggies of suspected pot to school.

The probable cause affidavit stated that three baggies of suspected pot were seized. One of the baggies weighed .3 grams while the other two weighed .8 and .9 grams, respectively. The contents of those baggies were tested and those tests indicated a positive result for the presence of marijuana, noted the affidavit.

When contacted about this incident, Mr. Tribble explained that Rickard was charged with delivery of marijuana because he actually delivered the substances to the girl, but did not sell it.
The girl, whose identity was not released, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana under 20 grams. She has not gone to court yet, said Mr. Tribble.

Although the arrest warrant was approved by Judge Gerald Bryant and filed on April 27, it was not served until Tuesday, May 2, because attempts to deliver it to the boy and his family were unsuccessful.

“Reasonable efforts have been made to summons the child and parents to appear in court for a hearing on this matter. Despite reasonable efforts, this court has not obtained service of process,” stated the warrant.

Rickard was then arrested by Deputy Maria Camacho, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO).
In a prepared statement, superintendent of schools Ken Kenworthy said Rickard and the girl are entitled to dispute the facts of this case.

“If the finding is upheld by a hearing officer, the minimum consequences are expulsion or alternative placement,” he said.

The juvenile arrest affidavit filled out by Deputy Camacho indicates that Rickard was arrested while attending the Okeechobee Achievement Academy.

OKEECHOBEE — A local man told a deputy he is in fear for his life after becoming involved in an internet scam.

Deputy Devon Satallante, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), indicated in his report the 29-year-old victim began receiving threats May 6.

“He has been talking to a woman over a web site called ‘Whatapp,’” stated the deputy.

The victim then began receiving text messages from an unknown number that threatened to harm him. Whoever was sending those texts claimed to be the woman’s boyfriend.

The frightened victim blocked that phone number, noted the deputy.

“Not too long after he blocked the number, he then began receiving text messages from another unknown number out of California. The subject told him to send him money for talking to his girlfriend,” stated Deputy Satallante. “The subject told him if he does not send him the money, he would kill (the local man) and his family.

“Today (May 8), the (victim) began receiving pictures of guns and bodies from the unknown number,” added the deputy.

That phone number is 805-214-0353. Area code 805 covers a four-county area in California, and such cities as Oxnard, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo

To add to the victim’s fears, he reportedly told Deputy Satallante he had sent photos of himself to the woman.

“From those pictures, the subject told him (the victim) they know who he is now and where he lives,” pointed out the deputy’s report.

Deputy Satallante went on to explain that he told the man this is a scam to extract money from him. Furthermore, the deputy advised the victim to not send the scammer any money, to block the phone number, stop all contact with the person on the web site and to ignore any messages from the unknown phone number.

OKEECHOBEE — Call it ingenious. Call it lazy. But no matter the adjective, it’s effective.

Reports from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) detail a new way thieves are stealing the decal from license tags — they are cutting off the corner of the tag.

Simple.

No more spending precious minutes trying to remove that sticky sticker without tearing it. And, no more stealing the entire license tag just to get the decal.

All that’s needed is a pair of tin snips and as quickly as one can say “badda bing,” the thief has his decal and is moving on to his next target.

Thieves hit at least two vehicles last week ad made off with the tag decals.

OCSO Deputy Devon Satallante spoke Thursday, May 4, with a 71-year-old Kenansville woman whose vehicle was victimized while she was shopping Wednesday at Tractor Supply, 3371 U.S. 441 S.

She told the deputy she parked her vehicle around 5 p.m. on May 3. Then, as she was preparing to leave later, she noticed the corner off her license tag was missing. Also missing was the tag decal.

“(She) said the license tag was intact when she went into the store,” stated the deputy’s report.

Later Thursday morning, Deputy Satallante spoke to a 64-year-old Okeechobee man who filed a similar complaint.

He had parked his pickup up truck in The Home Depot parking lot, 2700 U.S. 441 S., around 7 a.m. and went for a bicycle ride. When he returned, he noticed the decal on his license tag had been cut off.

The difference is this victim didn’t know if the theft was committed during the nighttime hours when his truck was parked at his home, or if it was done while the vehicle was parked in front of the home improvement store.

Okeechobee County tax collector Celeste Watford said if this happens to you, call law enforcement.

“If the decal is cut off, get a police report and a case number and the tag and decal can be replaced for free,” she said.

Without a report or case number, the cost to replace the tag and decal is $34.60.

Apparently these two incidents have been the only ones of this nature reported.

OCSO public information officer Michele Bell said Tuesday, May 9, her agency has not responded to any similar complaints since last week.

Detective Bill Saum, of the Okeechobee City Police Department, said his agency has yet to receive such a complaint.

Routinely check you license tag and if the decal is missing, call law enforcement immediately. If you’re in the county, call the sheriff’s office at 863-763-3117. If you’re in the city, contact the police department by calling 863-763-2626.

OKEECHOBEE — As three members of the Haygood family stood before him Thursday, County Judge Gerald Bryant offered them this stern reminder:

“This is your son’s case — not yours.”

John and Louanne Haygood flanked their son, John Benjamin, as they stood in front of Judge Bryant at the May 11 hearing.

John Benjamin, 10, was arrested April 12 on a juvenile take and hold warrant charging him with battery on a school board employee — a third-degree felony. The boy was arrested on school grounds by Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) deputies.

Three facts about this case have raised the ire of young and old alike.

First, the boy was arrested on school grounds after having gone there to take a test even though he was currently under suspension.

Secondly, the arrest warrant was issued in November of 2016 after an incident in which the boy allegedly kicked and scratched a teacher. John Benjamin was suspended from school after that alleged incident.

Lastly, the family says John Benjamin is autistic.

Thursday was his arraignment hearing in front of Judge Bryant, who asked the boy’s parents if they had retained legal counsel for their son. When Louanne answered no, the judge told them if they did not have an attorney by Friday, May 19, the office of the public defender will take over the boy’s case.

“Have an attorney on board by next Friday,” directed the judge.

A Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) representative then told Judge Bryant that John Benjamin is scheduled to have an intake hearing Monday, May 15. At that hearing John Benjamin and his family will be told about the services offered by DJJ that include therapy and counseling.

The family will then have the opportunity to sign a contract that will allow DJJ to provide these services to John Benjamin.

If they don’t sign the pact, John Benjamin will be back in Judge Bryant’s courtroom for docket call Thursday, May 25.

Said assistant state attorney Ashley Albright: “If the family doesn’t sign that contract, the boy will have to be back in court May 25 for docket call and a date will be set for a non-jury trial.”

The prosecutor went on to explain if the family enters into the pact with DJJ, he will drop the charge filed against the youngster.

“Most everyone does (sign the contract),” he continued. “It’s in their best interest because then he won’t have a criminal history.”

So, is John Benjamin autistic?

“I’m not allowed to comment on that,” replied Mr. Albright. “(But) in handling this case, I am taking into account both his age and that records indicate he is on the autism spectrum.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) web site, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a group of developmental disorders and includes a wide range, or spectrum, of symptoms, skills and levels of disability.

ASD includes Asperger’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and Rett syndrome. While someone with autism has ASD, not everyone who has ASD has autism.

When talking about the incident that led to John Benjamin’s arrest, Mr. Albright said he has been able to document 55 incidents committed by the boy while in the Okeechobee school system.

“That’s only physical aggression against the other children or faculty,” he noted.

Some of the documented incidents include kicking, biting, spitting and punching.

The prosecutor then offered a few specific incidents.

• On one occasion, the boy kicked a male coach in the groin.

• The boy punched another student in the face.

• The boy stabbed another student with a pencil after he had just sharpened it and the pencil went through the other child’s jacket and punctured the skin.

• The boy intentionally stomped on a female teacher’s foot while wearing steel-toed boots and broke three of her toes. “Then, when she returned to work, he stomped on her same toes and said she deserved it,” said Mr. Albright.

• On two different occasions John Benjamin told teachers he was going to come back with a gun and kill them.

It has also been documented the boy was suspended from school for kicking and scratching para-professional Brandon Rose. After the child was suspended, Mr. Rose signed an agreement to drop the charges against John Benjamin on April 19.

That agreement, which was obtained by this newspaper on a public records request, stated Mr. Rose’s reason for dismissing the charge was because the boy “… is not in the classroom to where he may (be) a threat to other students.

“I pressed charges in order to get the ball rolling to get his mother to realize he needs additional help. I think it is now understood the additional help is needed. The students are back in a safe environment and the class can resume instruction.”

OKEECHOBEE — A 16-year-old teen was arrested in Okeechobee County early Wednesday after he allegedly led both Martin County and local deputies on a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle.

The teen — Michael Ford Richmond — managed to escape deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and led an Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) deputy on a chase of speeds up to 120 mph, stated an arrest report.

Richmond was taken into custody May 17 around 3:30 a.m. after he wrecked the silver BMW 330I he was driving in the 1800 block of S.R. 78 West. He then led OCSO deputies on a brief foot chase, but was soon captured.

He was returned to Martin County where he is charged with grand theft – auto, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, no valid driver’s license, passing in a no passing zone and failing to stop at a stop light.

Richmond was booked into the Martin County Jail then taken to the St. Lucie Regional Detention Center in Fort Pierce.

It was not clear as of newspaper deadline if the 13-year-old juvenile with Richmond was charged.

According to a report by OCSO Deputy Mathew Huffman the stolen BMW was first seen by him in the 8500 block of U.S. 441 S.E. The deputy was able to get behind the car and verify it was the stolen car.

The deputy turned on his emergency lights and siren but the driver of the car — later identified as Richmond — quickly accelerated.

“I was able to pace the BMW at a maximum of 120 miles per hour on U.S. 441 S.E. The traffic flow was minor and surrounding vehicles were yielding to my vehicle’s emergency light and siren,” noted Deputy Huffman.

With the fleeing car heading his way, OCSO Deputy Yero Todman deployed stop sticks at the Pier II Hotel, 2200 U.S. 441 S.E., so Deputy Huffman slowed to a “manageable speed.”

The BMW’s right front tire struck the stop stick, but Richmond reportedly kept going. When Richmond reached the intersection of U.S. 441 S. with S.R. 78 West he was still doing 70 mph and he did not stop at the red light, pointed out Deputy Huffman.

As he tried to negotiate some curves on S.R. 78 West, Richmond began to slow down. However, he apparently didn’t slow enough and lost control of the BMW and left the roadway. He came to rest in the grass, stated the deputy’s report.

Richmond then jumped from the car and began to run in a westward direction with Deputy Huffman and Deputy Jessica Francis following. After running about 150 feet, Richmond stopped and laid down.

MCSO Deputy Jason Hickman responded to the local sheriff’s office and transported the passenger in the BMW back to Martin County where he was released to his guardian.

Deputy Huffman went on to note in his report that no OCSO vehicles or private property was damaged and no OCSO personnel was injured.

A call to the MCSO seeking more information on Richmond and the charges against him had not been returned as of newspaper deadline.

OKEECHOBEE — A 45-year-old Okeechobee man fell victim to a scam artist recently and ended up losing over $16,000.

Deputy Ryane Ammons, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), spoke to the victim Friday, May 19. The victim reportedly told the deputy he was first contacted by a man named Devant Jackson.

Via the victim’s email, Jackson told the local man he would receive $700,000 in grant money by paying Jackson $7,000. The victim was then instructed to send the money through a bank to an account in the name of TolJan Investment. That account number was 291023244380, added Jackson.

The victim was then told to take a photograph of the receipt and send the photo via text message to the phone number 201-426-6210.

According to the deputy’s report Jackson then contacted the victim and told him before he could receive his money he would have to pay a $9,500 stamp fee. That fee was to be sent to a bank account in the name of Oladimeji O. Moses.

After paying $16,500 to the scammer, the victim was contacted by his bank and told that he had fallen prey to a scam. Even though the victim paid out over $16,000, he has not received any of the ‘grant’ money.

The victim had saved his email conversations with Jackson and turned them over to the deputy. The printout of those conversations will be placed into evidence, stated Deputy Ammons.

OKEECHOBEE — An Okeechobee man who was released from prison in August of 2015 could possibly be returning to the Department of Corrections (DOC).

A six-member jury Tuesday, May 23, took about two hours to find Tom Douglas Hoover guilty on felony charges of grand theft-motor vehicle, criminal mischief with a prior conviction and possession of burglary tools. He was also convicted on one misdemeanor count of trespassing.

Hoover, 28, will be sentenced Friday, June 30.

Tom Douglas Hoover

Assistant state attorney Don Richardson, who prosecuted the one-day trial, said Hoover could be sentenced to a maximum sentence of 15 years.

Hoover was sent to prison Nov. 1, 2012, after being convicted of burglary, grand theft-motor vehicle, possession of burglary tools and two counts of criminal mischief. He was sentenced to serve four years in the DOC.

Hoover was arrested March 5, 2016, for breaking into a storage container on N.W. 306th Street and trying to steal an all-terrain vehicle by hot wiring it. In the process, he badly damaged the 2007 Suzuki King Quad’s ignition, stated an arrest report by Deputy James Hartsfield, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO).

The property owners had game cameras around the camp that apparently captured pictures of the suspect, who was later identified as Hoover.

The man in the pictures, noted Deputy Hartsfield, was a “… white male wearing a white shirt with a backpack and blue latex gloves on his hands. The suspect looked like he may be carrying a set of bolt cutters.”

Deputy Hartsfield explained in his report the padlocks on the container were cut.

“(The owner)  inspected the four-wheeler and discovered the wires leading to the keyed ignition switch had been cut in an attempt to bypass the ignition switch,” explained the deputy. “It should be noted there was a cable attached to the ATV and it was still intact.”

Deputy Hartsfield also noted the padlocks on the container were valued at $200 and the damage to the ATV’s ignition cost $534 to repair.

Hoover was represented by defense attorney Armand Murach, from the public defender’s office of the 19th Judicial District.

“I thought the defense attorney did an excellent job,” stated Mr. Richardson.

“And, I appreciate the jury’s service.”

OKEECHOBEE — If you receive a text message that you’ve been approved for a loan, the chances are high that it’s a scam.

A local man received a text message on Friday, May 26, that allegedly came from Lending Tree, according to the report filed by Deputy Tim Higgins. The text was supposedly from someone by the name of Craig Miller and informed the local man that he was approved for a $10,000 loan. He was then asked to provide some banking information to process the loan.

The man sent a text of his bank account number to the number, and they allegedly told him they would place money into his account at Sun Trust Bank.

The company deposited two checks equaling $1,800 into his account, stated the report. The man had $180 of his own money already in his account, so he withdrew that money, leaving only the money sent to his account.

He was then instructed to send the money back to Craig Miller via Moneygram; the local man did not comply. He said that his grandmother told him it did not sound right, so they came to the sheriff’s office to get it checked out.

The deputy advised the man that he needed to contact Sun Trust Bank and speak to the fraud department about the incident, stated the report. He also informed the man that it looked like a scam because a loan agency would not contact a person via text message.

The deputy also informed the man it would be in his best interest not to accept any further calls from this person or company.

OKEECHOBEE — An unknown thief made off with a local man’s four wheeler — and it wasn’t even in running order.

According to the report filed by Deputy Tim Higgins of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Department, on June 1, he responded to the 6200 block of N.E. Ninth Way in reference to a theft complaint.

Upon his arrival, the deputy met with a local man who informed him that his fence had been cut and someone had entered his yard, cut a lock off a chain and stole his four wheeler, stated the report. The man indicated that at 7 p.m. the previous night, he went into his residence for the evening. At that time, his black and silver 2004 Yamaha four wheeler was chained to a tree on the west side of his residence. He noted that the four wheeler was not in running order and had previously caught fire. He told the deputy the hoses and wires were melted as well.

He then advised Deputy Higgins that around 9 a.m. Thursday morning, he went outside and found the chain had been cut and his four wheeler missing, the report stated. He also noticed tire marks in the yard, and when he examined his fence on the west side of his property, he found a section had been cut out.

According to the report, the four wheeler had been stolen and recovered three previous times. This time, the front VIN plates had been scratched so the number could not be read.

OKEECHOBEE — A local man unknowingly purchased a vehicle from a friend that had been stolen two years prior.

The original report on the stolen truck was filed by Deputy Mark Margerum of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), and stated that on Feb. 11, 2015 at 9:08 a.m., Deputy Margerum was dispatched to 100 S.R. 78 West (Lock 7). He met with the owner of the truck, who stated that at approximately 8 a.m., he had parked his 2011 white four-door Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck at Lock 7 between the boat ramp and the pier. He then took his bicycle for a ride on the dike. When he returned, he discovered his truck was missing and called the police. The VIN was noted in the report.

According to a report filed by Deputy William Jolly of the OCSO, on May 25, 2017, he responded to a house in the 18000 block of U.S. 441 N. The person, who wished to remain anonymous, allegedly informed the deputy that Johnny Lee Walker, 36, had a stolen small white Chevrolet truck in his possession.

Upon his arrival at the address, he observed a white Chevrolet Colorado truck in the driveway, stated the report. When he called in the tag to dispatch, they reportedly informed him that the tag came back to a white 2005 Chevrolet.

The deputy informed dispatch that the truck he observed seemed to be much newer in appearance. After further inspection of the truck, he allegedly noticed the VIN (vehicle identification number) in the windshield to be deliberately obstructed.

Ronald Campbell

After speaking to Walker, Deputy Jolly pointed out the obstructed VIN and asked if he could open the truck to get the VIN from inside. Walker agreed and opened the door; the VIN reportedly matched the VIN of the stolen truck.

On Monday, June 5, Detective Howard Pickering of the OCSO met with Walker in his office. Walker allegedly stated that he had paid Ronald Campbell, 49, $500 and took a transmission from a Denali belonging to Campbell’s sister and put it back in the vehicle. According to the report, this was in payment for the Colorado truck. Walker stated that he had gotten the truck at the end of February or the first of March of 2017, and that it had been sitting on the lot of a local used car dealership. He also indicated that he was not aware the truck had been stolen until police knocked on his door.

He also indicated that Campbell told him he would get him a title for the truck. However, according to the report, Campbell never did, so Walker took his tag off of a black Ford F-150 and put it on the Chevrolet truck.

Ronald Campbell was arrested on a felony charge of dealing in stolen property. His bond was set at $10,000.

OKEECHOBEE — The call came in on the 911 line. A man was being chased by a Cuban male armed with a machete.

Detective Rosemary Farless of the Okeechobee County Sherrif’s Office indicated in a report that on June 9 at 9:07 p.m., multiple units responded to the area of S.W. Second Way. The victim, Elias Sanchez, had made the fateful 911 call, indicating that a Cuban male wearing blue jeans and no shirt had just pulled up in a white Dodge truck.

The truck was located in the middle of the street when Detective Farless arrived. Lieutenant Shane Snyder was shown a pistol lying in the grass and a machete by a Hispanic woman later identified as Maria Torrez. The pistol had been taken from the subject Jesus Santana, whom the witnesses referred to as “The Cuban,” stated the report.

Sanchez was located, along with a translator, four witnesses and the Cuban.

Sanchez reported that he and his friends had been sitting around drinking beer when the Cuban got mad and left. He returned with a machete and hit Sanchez in the mouth with the handle. The report indicated that this action busted the inside right side of Sanchez’s lip. Sanchez relayed that the Cuban had then begun to swing the machete at him. He indicated that he had picked up a chair to defend himself against the machete and prevent it from hitting him.

The Cuban allegedly chopped the chair several times with the machete as he was trying to hit Sanchez, stated the report.

When asked the name of the Cuban, Sanchez reportedly pointed to the man sitting down without a shirt. The man was asked his name, and he responded “Jesus Santana.”

Maria Torrez was the next witness interviewed, and she reportedly stated that the man not wearing a shirt identified as Jesus came over and began arguing with Sanchez. Sanchez reportedly told Jesus he did not want any trouble and to go home. Santana reportedly lived next door.

Santana said he wasn’t going anywhere and then punched Sanchez, slightly grazing him on the side of his face, recounted Torrez.

Torrez then allegedly got in between Sanchez and Jesus and broke them apart, telling Jesus to leave. He reportedly did so, only to come back in the white truck sitting in the middle of the street.
Torrez witnessed Jesus pull up, and she told Sanchez to watch out because Santana was coming back, stated the report.

When she saw Santana walking toward them, she saw the machete in his hand that he had reportedly gotten from the truck. She then warned Sanchez to watch out because Santana had a machete, continued the report.

Torrez and her boyfriend, Carlos Velasquez, then got in between Sanchez and Santana, and Velasquez purportedly took the machete away from Santana.

According to the report, Torrez and Velasquez saw that Santana had a gun, and they also took that from him. The gun reportedly turned out to be an airsoft toy gun.

Torrez indicated that she had seen Jesus hit Sanchez in the mouth with the machete handle, and that Sanchez grabbed a chair to defend himself.

Velasquez’s statements indicated that he had been picked up from work by his girlfriend and that he was unaware of any problems. He stated that an argument started between the Cubano — as he referred to Santana because he couldn’t remember his name — and Sanchez, and that he was seated when the argument began and the Cubano smacked Sanchez. The report indicated that Velasquez then stood up and separated them, and told Santana to leave.

After Santana returned with the machete, Velasquez related that Sanchez and Santana were fighting and went to the ground, and that’s when he was able to get the machete. He also noticed a pistol in Santana’s waistband, and he grabbed it, believing it to be real. When he discovered that it was fake, he threw it over into the grass.

Reinaldo Herrera Santana

The other two witnesses also gave the same sworn statements as Sanchez, Torrez and Velasquez, according to the report.

When Santana was transported to the county jail for booking, it was reportedly discovered that .38 caliber ammunition was located in his right front pocket. His true identity was also discovered to be Reinaldo Herrera Santana. He also reportedly had an active warrant out of Miami for two counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.

Reinaldo Herrera Santana was arrested on felony charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, obstruction by a disguised person, and possession of a firearm, ammunition or electronic weapon by a felon. Bond was set at $80,000.

OKEECHOBEE — Scams are an ever-present threat in today’s world, and the public is warned to keep an eye out for a few.

Deputy Timothy Miller of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) indicated in a report that on June 14 at 11:20 a.m., he met with a woman who had been contacted by a fictitious Facebook account.

According to the woman, the Facebook account, agentcarmonthomas992, asked her to send them money. They reportedly promised to send her $80,000 in return. She knew it was a scam and did not send them any money, but she feared that someone else could fall for the scam. She wanted to make sure she brought it to the law enforcement’s attention, stated the report.

The woman also provided a phone number, 754-444-3223, which she was given through the Facebook account.

In another report filed by Deputy Gerardo Vasquez of the OCSO, he referred to a meeting with a woman in the jail lobby on June 14 at 3:43 p.m.

The woman he spoke with indicated that she had received a call from Comcast, and she was advised that she owed them $600 and that she needed to pay them. She told the representative that she had not opened an account in any other state, so she does not owe the money, continued the report.

She also told the representative that she has been living in Florida since 2010, and the only other state she has lived in was New York. When speaking to Deputy Vasquez, the woman could not recall in what state the representative had told her the account had been opened, but she knew that it was not New York. She stated that she was unsure how someone could have gotten her identity.

Lastly, Deputy Greg Mullen indicated in a report that on June 14 at 5:12 p.m., he spoke to yet another woman who was involved in an unrelated scam.

The woman stated that she had received a check in the amount of $3,950 in the mail, and included were instructions from Associated Bank. The check reportedly came from a Dave Sharman at 18 Locust Drive, Northfield, NJ 08225. The instructions given to the woman were from an unknown Secret Shopper organization, the report continued.

The instructions were as follows: Cash the check into her bank account and spend $50 at Walmart, observing how the staff acted, and send Maria Young and Angel Ballarde $1,700 each through Money Gram. After all of that was completed, she would allegedly receive a $100 deduction for Money Gram charges and transport.

The letter stated that Maria and Angel both live in Cyprus, Larnaca, Europe.

The woman did not cash the check, stated the report.

OKEECHOBEE — Hush money and threats couldn’t stop a Florida Power & Light (FPL) whistle blower from exposing an elaborate scheme that involved thieves — one of whom was an Okeechobee man — defrauding the mega utility out of hundreds of thousands of gallons of mineral oil.

After a five-month investigation Detective Alfredo Forgione, of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBCSO), had enough probable cause to make an arrest.

According to the detective’s arrest report he was contacted via email on Feb. 9 by FPL area security manager Brian Camerieri, who asked the detective if he would mind reviewing a case report in which he had documented an ongoing theft that was allegedly happening at the FPL Physical Distribution Center (PDC) in Riviera Beach.

Mr. Camerieri also requested the detective’s assistance in the criminal investigation.

Mr. Camerieri’s notes indicated that he was contacted in January by FPL PDC supply chain supervisor Barry Street regarding an urgent matter. After speaking to Mr. Street, Mr. Camerieri learned the PDC has a transformer shop on site where retired transformers and regulators are sent.

These transformers come in many sizes, from one-phase small padmounts to three-phase large padmounts, and contain anywhere from 5 to 500 gallons of mineral oil in each.

Premier Contracting Company workers are responsible for recording the serial numbers on the transformers and logging them as retired in the material tracking database. The transformers are then drained by the workers into a pit or siphoned by a pump of all their mineral oil into one of three, 6,000 gallon tanks. FPL then recycles the mineral oil by selling it to a refining company for approximately .48 cents a gallon.

The empty transformers are picked up twice a week by a trucking company, Corzo Express, Inc., out of Miami. The transformers are then sold by FPL to a company in New Jersey, which hired Corzo Express to transport the transformers from Florida to New Jersey.

Mr. Street was contacted by Premier Contracting Company manager Mike Quinlan, who reportedly told Mr. Street that one of his employees had approached him and told him about a theft occurring in the transformer shop.

The whistle blower purportedly said a small group of Premier employees were purposely not fully draining the padmount transformers of their mineral oil. The thieves allegedly masked their larceny by only draining enough oil to make the transformer gauge register as empty.

According to Mr. Street when 10 to 15 gallons are drained from a 100-gallon transformer, the gauge shows empty — thus leaving the alleged thieves with 70 to 80 gallons of the oil.

You’re probably thinking that surely someone would have noticed this discrepancy, right? Not so.

At times, while the transformers were still in use, they could register empty which means they were in need of being refilled. Because the purpose of the gauge is not to register the actual amount of oil, the thieves were able to disguise the amount of oil being extracted.

The whistle blower went on to explain that two drivers from Corzo Express — Sandy Lima and Remberto Fuentes — allegedly offered to pay kickbacks to Premier employees to not fully drain the transformers so the two men could profit from the use of the oil.

Lima and Fuentes are the vice president and president of the company, respectively. The whistle blower indicated the suspected thefts have been going on for about two years.

It is reportedly unknown where the mineral oil is later being drained or what the drivers’ end purpose for the stolen oil might be. But, it is believed that on the open market the drivers could get two or three times what FPL receives.

Mr. Street indicated he was not only concerned about the stealing but also that one of the transport trucks would overturn with hundreds of gallons of mineral oil on board. He went on to say each spill over 5 gallons needs to be reported to the state.

One of the two drivers had supposedly threatened harm to anyone who squeals, and the whistle blower said the threat involved a gun. However, that claim has not be substantiated.

Mr. Camerieri asked how one might extract the mineral oil, and Mr. Street indicated it could be done by simply tipping the padmounts over into a pit; by using a siphon with a pump; or, by using heavy machinery to pick up the transformer and pour it into a 50-gallon drum.

As for the various uses of the mineral oil, Mr. Street indicated the perpetrators could be mixing it with diesel fuel to burn in their fleet of trucks, stated the report.

The whistle blower indicated in a Feb. 1 interview that he is a forklift driver for Premier Contracting and has been working at the Riviera Beach distribution center since 2001. According to the report, he described part of his daily activities as loading transformers onto flatbed trucks for transporting. Approximately two years ago the whistle blower was loading a transformer when he noticed it to be significantly heavy. He said it felt like the oil had not been drained from the transformer, but he didn’t say anything for fear of being mistaken. However, he did begin watching what was going on in the draining area.

According to the report the whistle blower indicated that Russell Alan Parow, 29, and two other people besides himself knew about the mineral oil being left in the transformers.

Russell Alan Parow, 29

Two of the men would direct the third on which transformers to drain and which not to drain, according to the whistle blower’s statements.

He also stated that a year ago, Fuentes approached him and told him he wanted to give him a gift.

“You are making me a lot of money,” Fuentes allegedly said as he handed the whistle blower $50.

From that moment on, the whistle blower reportedly received $50 to $100 from either Lima or Fuentes every one or two months. To date, he estimated he has received a little over $1,000.

He stated that when he told another employee about the money he was instructed to just take it, noted the report.

The whistle blower indicated he had always felt uncomfortable with the situation, but recently he felt FPL should know what was happening. Following an argument with one of the alleged perpetrators, the whistle blower felt it was time to come clean.

He indicated he felt the other three employees were being paid hush money and at least two of them were being paid much better.

A surveillance camera was placed in the Premier Contracting break room, continued the report, so investigators could see the alleged hush money being passed. Surveillance cameras were also installed all around the company site.

After several months of capturing the draining and loading of the transformers by the hidden cameras, it was estimated that, at the very least, the men were allegedly stealing 2,000 gallons of mineral oil a week.

Fuentes and Lima reportedly have had access to the PDC since June 2014, which would be 132 weeks. Doing the math, 2,000 gallons being stolen over 132 weeks equals 240,000 gallons. Multiplied by the .48 cents FPL should have received from the sale of the oil and the total loss to FPL is $126,720, stated the report.

After several months of surveillance, the detective had enough probable causes to end the alleged thefts.

Parow, 101 S.W. 11th Ave., Okeechobee, was arrested June 13 on felony charges of grand theft and scheming to defraud. His bond was set at $40,000.

Lima and Fuentes were arrested that same day on the same felony charges. Their bonds were also set at $40,000 each. Both men are residents of Miami.

OKEECHOBEE — A mini crime spree was thwarted Saturday with the arrest of an Okeechobee man after he had alleged stolen goods from two local businesses.

George Edward Carney was initially arrested June 17 on a misdemeanor charge of retail theft after he had reportedly stolen several items from Walmart.

George Edward Carney

When he was taken into custody by Officer Ryan Holroyd, of the Okeechobee City Police Department (OCPD), he allegedly had a small amount of suspected methamphetamine in his possession. Carney was then charged with possession of a controlled substance, which is a felony.

His bond on those charges was set at $5,500.

Carney was also arrested for retail theft by Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bart Potter for the alleged theft of goods from the Publix Supermarket on U.S. 441 S. His bond on that misdemeanor charge was $1,000.

To make Carney’s already bad day even worse, Officer Holroyd later arrested the man on a felony charge of violation of probation – uttering forged bills. Now, because of the VOP, Carney is being held in the Okeechobee County Jail without bond.

According to Officer Holroyd’s arrest report Carney entered the Walmart store on South Parrott Avenue shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday, where surveillance cameras supposedly caught him placing a pair of white sunglasses on his head. He then took a knee brace and put it in his pants, noted the officer’s report.

Carney also took some other items and fled the store when confronted by a loss prevention officer, stated the report. The total value of the stolen items was $96.35.

Not long after OCPD officers were sent to Walmart, Deputy Potter spotted a “suspicious vehicle” leaving the Publix parking lot. After stopping the vehicle, the driver told Deputy Potter he picked up a man at Walmart then let him out at Publix.

“He said the man stole items from Walmart and he did not want him in his car any longer,” noted Deputy Potter.

Other OCSO units responded and deputies Jonathon Gove and Justin Deluca caught up with Carney inside the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, which is located near the Publix store on 441 South.

Carney, stated Deputy Potter’s report, was carrying a Publix shopping bag that contained several items he had taken from the supermarket.

Those items, totaling $24.58, were identified by Publix manager Steve Lafferty.

It was also verified that no one had paid for the items.

Officer Holroyd pointed out in his report that Carney is slated to be on probation through Oct. 10, 2018. He went on to note that the suspected methamphetamine was tested, and that test indicated a positive result for the presence of meth. The suspected meth weighed .191 grams, added the officer.

OKEECHOBEE — Assistant state attorney Ashley Albright let it be known Thursday if the parents of John Benjamin Haygood refuse to sign him up for a diversion program, he will file additional charges against the 10 year old.

The prosecutor also asked Judge Jerald Bryant to require defense attorney Stephanie Langer to present documentation stating her client has been diagnosed as being autistic. At this point, the defense has only filed paperwork with the court stating Haygood has “mental disabilities.”

Haygood was arrested April 12 on a juvenile take and hold warrant charging him with battery on a school board employee — a third-degree felony. That charge stems from an incident in which the boy allegedly kicked and scratched a teacher.

Since the child’s arrest Judge Bryant ordered Haygood meet with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) about entering into a program in which he would receive therapy and counseling. However, his mother, Louanne Haygood, declined to sign her child up for that program.

After the June 22 docket call, Mr. Albright said Mrs. Haygood and her son’s attorney will have until July 20 to decide if the boy will take advantage of the DJJ program. Judge Bryant ruled Thursday all parties will return to court on that date for a status review.

“I’m still leaving that open,” Mr. Albright told the judge.

A trial date has not been set.

However, if Haygood would take part in the DJJ program, he will not only avoid going to trial but would have the slate wiped clean and he would not have a criminal record.

But, pointed out the prosecutor, if the child is not entered into the DJJ program additional criminal charges will be filed against the boy. When contacted after court Thursday, Mr. Albright declined to say what those new charges would be.

As for the boy’s medical records, Ms. Langer argued that because he is a juvenile those records are confidential and cannot be divulged in open court by Mr. Albright. She also argued against the prosecutor’s statements in open court about there being no record of the boy’s alleged mental health issues.

“What do you want me to do, tell him not to do it again?” inquired Judge Bryant of the defense.

But the prosecutor also argued that, without those records: “How can I litigate my case?”

Judge Bryant then ruled if the defense has records indicating Haygood has been diagnosed as being autistic, the defense must make them available to the state.