Crime Watch

News magnet

2012-02-11T18:56:00.000-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

Friday was a wet, cold night. I was doing a ridealong with a Manatee County Sheriff's Office sergeant.

We were heading down a rain-slicked 14th Street West when we spotted two cars and a tow truck stopped at the light on 49th Avenue West.

I kept a few steps back as the sergeant got to work. As I walked closer, I saw a small man face down on the pavement. The sergeant held onto the man's neck to keep it in place and feel his pulse.

Witnesses said the man was kicked out of the Hooters restaurant on the corner and wandered into oncoming traffic. He was struck by the tow truck.

Moments later, an ambulance arrived and paramedics placed the man in a stretcher, carried him into the back, and bolted to Blake Medical Center.

With notepad in hand, I jotted down all the details and called Richard Dymond, our night cops reporter, to read him the information for the website.

As a reporter, I spend every day chasing the news.

But on Friday night, I guess it found me.

Reporting from the Manatee courthouse next week

2012-02-10T14:07:00.000-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

The trial of Gregory Kennon, charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, begins next week.

On Monday, Feb. 13, jury selection will begin and the trial should start Tuesday.

On July 11, 2009, Kennon and two others allegedly barged into an apartment in DeSoto Village Apartments and fired shots. One gunshot struck Crystal Johnson, who was six months pregnant, in the chest. She and her unborn baby died.

Johnson's boyfriend fired at the gunmen before they ran away. Blood found at the scene matched Kennon's DNA.

Visit the Bradenton Herald for trial coverage. You can also look for the hashtag #KennonTrial on Twitter.

For regular updates on Manatee crime and immigration news, follow me @lauracmorel.

Florida Highway Patrol to drivers: Move over!

2012-02-04T15:53:00.000-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

"Law enforcement officers will be out in force, issuing citations for violations, so drivers beware!"

That was the message the Florida Highway Patrol released Friday as the agency joins forces with two other states to keep an eye out for Move Over law violators.

The Move Over law, established about 10 years ago, requires drivers to move to the next lane when there is an officer or any other emergency vehicle with flashing lights on the side of the road. If the driver can't switch lanes, then they must drive 20 miles per hour below the speed limit in that area.

Fun fact: Washington D.C. and Hawaii are the only areas that don't have this law.

Since 1999, more than 170 officers have died in the United States after being struck by a car, the release said, and thousands have been injured.

The Alabama Department of Public Safety and the Georgia State Patrol are also part of the month-long initiative.

Warehouse fire was false alarm

2012-02-01T20:01:00.002-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

Seconds after entering the newsroom today, editor Marc Masferrer sent me out to a warehouse fire in the 6400 block of 14th Street West.

I jumped back into my car and bolted to the scene, hoping to catch the battalion chief to fill me in on details.

When I arrived and speed-walked to where the firefighters were chatting, they all looked up and smiled.

It was a training exercise, they said.

At first, I thought they were pulling my tail. But it was true. Fifteen firefighters, from districts such as Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue, Southern Manatee Fire &; Rescue, and West Manatee Fire &; Rescue, were involved in the training exercise that began at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

"We do everything we normally do," said Battalion Chief and training officer Leigh T. Hollins.

And on Thursday, they'll be training at the warehouse again.

So if you live nearby the warehouse and see puffs of smoke, don't be alarmed. It's just a few firefighters learning the ropes.

The solution to sexual abuse: Education

2012-01-28T20:07:00.000-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

A registered sexual offender raping a 3-year-old girl.

An elected official allegedly sexually abusing three children.

That's what the Bradenton Herald reported this week. The police reports for those two cases had some of the most gruesome, gritty details I've ever read.

So when I interviewed Lauren Book, a child sexual abuse survivor and advocate, her visit in Bradenton could not have been more timely. For six years, Book was beaten and raped by a nanny.

As she spoke during the official announcement of the new Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Center in Bradenton on Saturday, Book repeated sexual abuse statistics:

One in three girls and one in five boys are sexually abused by the time they are 18. There are 39 million sexual abuse survivors in the United States.

But the most motivating one: 95 percent of sexual abuse can be prevented through education.

Books' organization, Lauren's Kids, created an abuse prevention curriculum called "Safer, Smarter Kids," that aims to do just that: educate.

The curriculum will be implemented in elementary schools statewide this year. It includes a DVD and teachers will explain to students what a "good touch" and a "bad touch" feel like.

Sexual abuse "is an epidemic and a pandemic in this country," Book said on Saturday.

Here's to hoping education changes that.

How we got Nikki's story

2012-01-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

As journalists, we get caught up with wanting to know what's going on. It's our job, after all. But sometimes, it's good to pause for a moment during a chaotic news day and think beyond the "what" factor.

When the Bradenton Herald reported that a 29-year-old woman's body was found in a ditch on University Parkway last month, one paragraph in a story piqued my interest:

In Sarasota, Scott has a history of drug-related arrests and has been convicted several times, according to Sarasota County court records.
In 2008, Scott was convicted of robbery by sudden snatching in Sarasota. She had several convictions for drug-related charges in 2009 and 2010, according to Sarasota court records.

But why? I searched her name on Facebook. Maybe she had a public profile. Sure enough, there was a Nicole Rose Scott memorial page. It showed photographs of Nicole, known as Nikki by loved ones, with her children. Friends left comments on the wall. One reads, "I know you were trying to turn your life around."

I left a post on the wall. The next day, I got a call from Nikki's close friend. The story launched after that. That friend put me in touch with other loved ones. Those loved ones knew others who would be willing to talk to me.

In about a week, I had the first draft of today's article that tells the story of a young girl whose life began and ended tragically. Nicole Rose Scott's story is not just about what happened to her. It's not just about her criminal record.

It is also about who she was and what parts of her short life led her to a troubled path.

News drove onto the Bradenton Herald's doorstep

2012-01-05T22:21:00.001-05:00

Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

The news came to the Bradenton Herald on Friday night -- literally.

At about 9 p.m., a woman driving a gray Taurus crashed into a red Volkswagen heading north on U.S. 41 near Manatee Avenue West.

The Taurus then took off, crossed over the median and drove into the wooded area on the east side of the Bradenton Herald’s property.

The 26-year-old woman got out of her car and fled, said Bradenton police Lt. Josh Cramer. Officers responding to the accident scene searched for the woman, who was located in the 400 block of Third Avenue West.

She had leaves in her hair, Cramer said.

The woman first told authorities she was the passenger in the vehicle, but later admitted she was the driver.

She was arrested and charged with fleeing the scene of an accident and police will conduct a DUI investigation.

The driver of the Volkswagen was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital, Cramer said.

Panties case not closed

2012-01-04T18:22:00.000-05:00

Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

Last month, the Bradenton Herald reported that charges against a man accused of robbing panties from his neighbor's home two years ago were dropped.

I called Ernest Kendler's defense attorney and the State Attorney's Office, but with the holidays, it can be dicey getting a call back right away.

Assistant State Attorney Julie Binkley returned my call today and had this to add to the story:

Charges against Ernest Kendler, 63, will be refiled this month.

The case was dropped because an expert witness was unavailable due to mandatory, out-of-state training, she said.

On Nov. 6, 2010, a man allegedly entered a house on the 100 block of Neptune Lane. A woman said she found him in her sister’s bedroom rummaging through a drawer full of panties, an arrest report said.

The man walked out and left when the woman said, “Hello?”

Kendler, 63, told police he was not in his neighbor’s home, according to the report.

Read the Bradenton Herald for updates on the case.

2012 stories from inside the courtroom

2011-12-29T18:21:00.000-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

With every new year comes new stories.

The year 2012 will include lots of trial stories for the Bradenton Herald. From Delmer Smith III's trials to Kieron James' arraignment, here's a look at what court dates the Bradenton Herald will be covering (and definitely live tweeting, too) this coming new year:

Jan. 6: Kieron James, the driver who allegedly fatally struck 5-year-old Kimora Samuel earlier this month, has his arraignment scheduled for this date. James turned himself in and admitted to authorities that he hit Kimora while driving his girlfriend's Kia. He pleaded not guilty, court records show.

Feb. 6: The trial for Gregory Kennon is slated to begin. Kennon, 24, is charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary. On July 12, 2009, Kennon and two others barged into an apartment in DeSoto Village Apartments and fired shots. One gunshot struck Crystal Johnson, who was six months pregnant, in the chest. She and her baby died.

Feb. 27: Delmer Smith III, who was sentenced to life in prison this week for breaking into and ransacking a Sarasota home after tying up an elderly woman, will be in court next year, too. In this case, Smith allegedly grabbed a 61-year-old woman from behind and forced her into her Bradenton home, an arrest warrant affidavit shows. Once inside, Smith placed a gun to the victim’s face and said, “Where is your purse ... I need crack,” the affidavit shows.

July 16: Smith is slated to be in court once again, this time for a murder charge. He is charged with bludgeoning Kathleen Briles to death with an antique sewing machine in her Terra Ceia home on Aug. 3, 2009. He also faces a burglary charge. If found guilty of murder, he could face the death penalty.

If you're on Twitter and want the most recent news on Smith's trials, you can look at my live tweets from inside the courtroom, ending with the hashtag #smithtrial.

Reader's tip leads to sex offender's arrest

2011-12-20T18:18:00.000-05:00

When editor Marc Masferrer looked at this morning's arrest list, he recognized one name: Cedrick Lane.

He asked me to call the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and find out the circumstances of Lane's arrest. He was on our "Featured Fugitives" gallery, Marc pointed out, so it *might* be a tip from one of our readers.

He was right.

Detective Dan Hutto called me back and confirmed my editor's suspicions. Someone who saw Lane's mugshot on our website recognized him. Lane was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.

Other readers have phoned in tips to authorities after clicking through the array of mugshots posted on our "Featured Fugitives" gallery. Hutto sends the newspaper photos every week of people wanted by the sheriff's office.

Another suspect arrested last week was also recently featured on the list. SUR 13 gang member Britney Vela, 19, was arrested for racketeering charges.

Here's this week's "Featured Fugitives" gallery, updated every week.

A $1,000 misunderstanding at the Palmetto gun buyback

2011-12-17T20:10:00.000-05:00

By Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

It was a gun buyback to remember.

Not just because only one firearm was turned in during the New Life General Baptist Church's first gun buyback event on Saturday.

A second man walked into the church to turn in a Glock. But when he found out he would only get a $50 Visa gift card, he couldn't believe it.

He swore he'd read in the Bradenton Herald that residents would receive $1,000 in exchange for a gun.

"Fifty dollars?" he said. "That's not worth it."

The man walked out of the church, gun in hand.

Outside in his car, he showed me the article.

Here's the line that led to the confusion: "Palmetto police donated $1,000 to the buyback, and the church chipped in another $300 to purchase the gift cards. But Parker said the church needs more money to buy as many gift cards as possible."

I pointed to the last five words. "Ohhhh," he said, adding, "I just needed money."

He got in his car and left.

Pastor McArthur Sellars chuckled. "Just a misunderstanding," he said.

List of 48 child predators arrested in FDLE investigation

2011-12-16T09:03:00.000-05:00

Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced Thursday that 48 child predators were arrested after a six-month computer sex crimes investigation was conducted.

The investigation, which began in July, was dubbed Operation Amalgamate.

And in case you were wondering, the word "amalgamate" means "to bring or combine together or with something else," according to Webster's dictionary.

FDLE's Computer Crime Center and Attorney General Pam Bondi's Child Predator Cybercrime Unit conducted the investigation.

Their findings: "child sex predators in chat rooms, utilizing instant messaging, texting, dating sites, social networks and even online classified ads," an FDLE media release said.

I called FDLE's public information office to check if any of the suspects were from Manatee County. They sent me an e-mail listing the suspects. None are from Manatee. There is one from Sarasota.

In case you're curious, here's the list:

Barnes, Christopher M., 08-31-87, Tampa – Hillsborough County

Two counts computer pornography; one count attempted sexual battery

Belledent, Karl Edwin, 03-26-96, N. Miami – Miami-Dade

One count computer pornography, four counts of sexual battery, four counts of sexual performance by a child; one count of extortion

Billings, Michael D., 06-11-69, Leesburg – Volusia

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Blyth, Dennis Richard, 11-25-47, Daytona Beach – Volusia

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Brandstedter, Cristy, 01-23-49, Land O Lakes – Pasco

10 counts of child pornography

Briggs, James Michael, 11-28-61, Fort Myers – Hardee

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Brown, Gene Hamilton, 02-01-61, Cantonment – Escambia

Three counts of child pornography

Brown, Kris Karl, 04-29-75 – (No residence address) – Broward

20 counts of child pornography; one count of computer pornography

Brown, Michael Robert, 08-04-80, Dade City – Volusia

Two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device, one count of cannabis under 20 grams; one count of possession of drug paraphernalia

Bueno, Alvin Grullon, 11-14-81, North Lauderdale – Broward

25 counts of child pornography

Calloway, Dustin S., 04-15-86 (No arrest affidavit and no residence address) – Leon

Carver, Ricky Lamar, 02-26-71, Jacksonville – Leon

Five counts of computer pornography

Chu, Anthony, 06-15-87, Orlando – Orange

10 counts of child pornography

Coons, Zachary, 06-07-93 (No residence address) – Leon

Two counts of computer pornography

Deloge, Steven Robert, 05-22-74, Jacksonville – Duval

One count of computer pornography

Echevarria, Nelson, 04, 09,80, (No residence address) – Broward

One count of cannabis under 20 grams, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia; one count of possession of a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon

El-Refai, Sherif, 10-19-87, Tampa, Florida – Hillsborough

Two counts of computer pornography; one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault

Figueroa, Carlos Alberto, 02-26-85, Miami – Miami Dade

Three counts/violations of The Florida Sexual Predator Act

Fluery, Douglas, 08-03-53, Sunrise – Broward

Two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempted lewd and lascivious assault; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Fochs, Donald William Jr., 06-23-73, New Port Richey – Pasco

One count of solicitation of a minor for sex acts

Gutierrez, Omar, 06-02-83, (No residence address) – Orange

Two counts of computer pornography

Hudnall, Richard, 11-30-56, Jacksonville – Leon

Two counts of computer pornography

Ingersoll, Michael, 05-16-84, Arvada, Colorado – Volusia

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Jarrell, Jason, 05-01-80, Tallahassee – Leon

Two counts of computer pornography

Kalinowski, Edward L., 06-27-52, Daytona Beach – Volusia

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Kessler, Phillip Michael, 01-10-76 (no arrest affidavit) – Bay

Lentovich, Eric Joseph, 08-27-75, Ft. Myers – Hardee

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Leon, Hector Ramon, 12-26-65, Greenacre – Palm Beach

10 counts of child pornography

Martinet, Christian, 04-10-87, Pembroke Pines – Broward

30 counts of child pornography

Martinez, Jorge M. Jr., 09-26-89, West Park – Broward

One count of child pornography; one count of computer pornography

Masters, Rickey O., 07-17-46, Hollywood – Broward

10 counts of child pornography

Milboer, Scott Andrew, 01-113-78, Naples – Collier

Two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Mizner, Stephen, 03-14-70, Sarasota – Sarasota

Two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device; one count attempted sexual battery

Moss, Mario Dwayne, 12-08-84, Lake City – Columbia

10 counts of child pornography

Orr, Curtis, 04-09-70, (No residence address) – Broward

24 counts of child pornography

Peixoto De Almeida, Marcus F., 11-03-73, Hallandale Beach – Broward

20 counts of child pornography

Perez, Jorge Arturo, 04-14-83, Boca Raton – Palm Beach

Possession of child pornography

Rains, Paul David, 05-08-49, Orlando – Orange

10 counts of child pornography

Rees, James F., 10-28-60, Deltona – Volusia

Two counts computer pornography; one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device

Sauleda, Donovan A., 05-13-86 (no arrest affidavit) – Wakulla

Shelley, Dean A., 12-15-59, Palm Harbor – Hillsborough

Two counts of computer pornography; one count of Attempt Capital Sexual Battery

Stowell, Kevin A., 10-26-58, Port Richey – Pasco

10 counts child pornography

Torres, Michael, 12-11-76, Oakland Park – Broward

30 counts of child pornography

Vela, Francisco Javier, 07-10-77, Greenacre – Palm Beach

One count of child pornography

Walker Rober Lee Jr., 10-09-77, Orlando – Orange

10 counts of child pornography

White, Harvey, 03-13-53 (No residence address) – Broward

10 counts child pornography

White Leon, 07-12-52, Davenport – Osceola

10 Counts of child pornography

Readers: Keep those news tips coming!

2011-12-14T20:38:00.000-05:00

Laura C. Morel
Crime/Immigration Reporter

Readers matter. Not just because they buy the product we create. Or because they hassle us -- and rightfully so -- if we make a mistake.

The Bradenton Herald got word of two stories this week after readers reached out with news tips.

On Wednesday afternoon, someone called my editor, Marc Masferrer, and told him a woman was killed after she was struck by a car in Bradenton Beach. I called authorities to confirm.

Sure enough, it was true. I went to the police station, picked up the report and wrote the story.

On Tuesday, another person called editor Jim Jones. The news tip: car accident on 45th Avenue East and 51st Street East in Bradenton.

That tip led to another story, this one about a garbage worker who was hit by a Jeep while he repaired his truck.

Moral of the story: If you're a reader and you hear or see something newsworthy, give us a buzz, whether it's via phone call, tweet or e-mail.

So keep 'em coming!

And you can follow or tweet me @LauraCMorel.

Two teens charged with burglary in Palmetto copper wire theft

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

HERALD STAFF REPORT

MANATEE — Two teens arrested Dec. 1 in connection with a copper wire theft have been charged with burglary.

Ramsey

Jacob Ramsey, 18, and a 16-year-old boy removed a large spool of copper from the abandoned home, a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report states.

A sheriff’s deputy was patrolling the 700 block of 39th Street East in Palmetto at 4 p.m. on Dec. 1 when she saw a white Jeep pull out of a vacant house and leave at a high rate of speed, according to the report.

She caught up to the vehicle as it approached U.S. 41 and 39th Street East and conducted a traffic stop, the report states. As she approached the vehicle she noticed that there was wiring in the back seat and the suspects were covered in drywall dust.

The two suspects later told the deputy they entered the house without permission and ripped the wire out of the wall, the report states. The wire was seized from the vehicle along with a pair of wire cutters and a wrench that they used to break up the drywall, according to the report.

The property owner wanted to prosecute both of the suspects, the report states.

Man charged with attempted murder in Palmetto strip club shooting

2011-11-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder for a shooting at a Palmetto strip club early Monday that left three people hurt.

Roshard Williams was arrested in Sarasota late Monday. A second suspect, possibly a woman, remains at large, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The shooting of three people at Pandora’s Box, 3823 U.S. 41 N., did not surprise Nick Mitha, owner of the nearby Angler’s Discount Store.

“In this area, the young kids carry guns, and they even come into my store and ask if I want to buy one for $200,” Mitha said Monday afternoon, between waiting on a steady stream of mostly beer-purchasing customers. “It’s crazy. Most of these kids around here don’t know how to correctly handle a gun. We have to take these guns away.”

When Mitha arrived at his store just before 7 a.m. Monday from his home in Tampa, he saw many law enforcement vehicles and the manager of Pandora’s Box being interviewed by detectives.

A man was shot twice about 2:41 a.m. Monday at Pandora’s Box and was in stable condition at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, said Dave Bristow, a sheriff’s office spokesman.

Read more of reporter Richard Dymond's report at Bradenton.com

Manatee sheriff: Woman returns home to find $70K in jewelry, car missing

2011-10-29T19:31:00.000-04:00

A Bradenton woman returned home Friday after being away three days to find $70,000 in jewelry missing and her car gone, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports.

There were no signs of forced entry into the home in the 7700 block of Ninth Avenue Drive North, a media release stated.

Bradenton man dies after motorcycle accident

2011-10-29T19:27:00.002-04:00

BRADENTON -- A 34-year-old Bradenton man died Friday night at Bayfront Medical Center after his 1993 Harley Davidson motorcycle was involved in a collision early Friday at U.S. 41 approaching the Bayshore Gardens Shopping Center driveway, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Donald Wemple did not have his lights on when he was struck by a Ford Explorer at 12:20 a.m. Friday, a witness told the FHP.

The driver of the Ford Explorer made a left turn and did not see the motorcycle, the FHP reported.

Manatee sheriff's office: Man chokes woman, takes her paper prescription

2011-10-27T10:20:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- Manatee sheriff's deputies are looking for a man after he allegedly choked a woman and made off with her paper drug prescription Wednesday, the sheriff's office reports.

The 31-year-old woman told the suspect she was going to fill her prescription and a struggle ensued at a home in the 5700 block of 11th Street East at around 1:30 p.m., a media release states.

The suspect, said to be between 25-30 years old, 6 feet tall and 170 pounds, grabbed the prescription, threw the victim on the bed, choked her and finally made off with it, the release states.

Another arrest made in Bradenton homicide

2011-10-26T22:53:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON -- A third person has been charged in the slaying of Ervin Perez, a 27-year-old migrant worker who was shot and killed Saturday morning, according to the Bradenton Police Department.

John Tyson Jr., 25, of Bradenton, turned himself into the Bradenton Police Department at about 6 p.m. Wednesday and has been “cooperative” with law enforcement about the shooting, said Capt. Warren Merriman III.

Tyson Jr. has been charged with principle in the first degree to murder and is currently in Manatee County jail on a $1 million bond.

Also charged in this case are Travin Martin Jr., 23, of Bradenton, and Charles Brown, 25, of Palmetto, who were arrested Saturday after they ran a traffic sign in the 1300 block of 27th Street East.

Read more here.

Bradenton gang member sentenced to 60 years in prison

2011-10-26T11:52:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A 25-year-old member of a Bradenton street gang has been sentenced to 60 years in prison on racketeering-related charges.

Eric Santiago, a member of the Brown Pride Locos, was found guilty Tuesday of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. Judge Harry Rapkin then sentenced Santiago to two consecutive 30-year sentences.

Santiago and seven other BPL members in 2007 were charged with racketeering because of their criminal activity as members of the Brown Pride Locos.

In 2008, Santiago was tried, convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison, but that conviction was overturned last year after an appeals court found that two prior drug-related convictions prosecutors had used to build the racketeering case against him, had been overturned.

Read more

No injuries following Manatee shooting

2011-10-22T16:50:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- No injuries have been reported following an early morning shooting in Manatee County, the sheriff’s office reports.

The incident occurred at about 4:35 a.m. Saturday when two 25-year-old victims were sitting outside their residence in the 900 block of 35th Avenue West. Two men approached them on foot and fired shots toward them, according to a media release. The shots hit an unoccupied vehicle.

The suspects then fled on foot, the release said.

Witnesses told deputies that a car was heard leaving at a high rate of speed after the gunshots, the release said.

The investigation is ongoing as the suspects have not been located. The suspects were wearing all black.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the sheriff’s office (941) 747-3011.

Man killed after morning shooting in Bradenton

2011-10-22T16:48:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON -- An unknown 27-year-old man was shot and killed Saturday morning in the 600 block of 21st Street East, the sheriff’s office reports.

At about 4:15 a.m., Bradenton Police Officers heard multiple gunshots in the area of the 2000 block of Martin Luther King Avenue East. As officers were responding to the location, according to a media release, a concerned citizen also called 911 to report the victim, whose name has not been released, had been shot by unknown person, the release said.

Upon their arrival, officers found a deceased male who had been operating a vehicle and had sustained an apparent fatal gunshot wound, the release said.

According to Capt. Warren Merriman III, the motive and circumstances behind the homicide are not known at this time and police are working on piecing the situation together.

“We don’t have any motive right now and we’re trying to follow up on a few leads,” he said.

Merriman did add there were not any indications of drug or gang violence in this case and he doesn’t believe it to be linked to a shooting that occurred around the same time in Manatee County that resulted in no injuries.

Anyone having information with regard to this case is asked to call Detective Kevin Bunch at the Bradenton Police Department, (941) 932-9300, ext. 380, or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 by calling Crime Stoppers (866) 634-8477 (TIPS) or send an anonymous E-Tip thru the web at www.manateecrimestoppers.com.

Tired of violence, Palmetto residents call for change

2011-10-21T17:44:00.000-04:00

PALMETTO -- It was a passionate group that met Thursday night in Palmetto.

About 70 turned up at the Palmetto Youth Center to call for change in their community, which has recently experienced a mass shooting that killed two and wounded 22 others.

It’s a community where, for years, a grocery store owner allowed a vicious criminal element on his property to degrade the neighborhood around it.

Some spoke of the sadness of losing young people to crime. Some railed at police hiring practices, saying more black officers would help them reclaim their community.

But the overall theme that grew out of the meeting, organized by county Commissioner Michael Gallen, was: We have to work together.

“It’s difficult when you see these young, intelligent black kids killing each other,” said Elston Brown, representing the Apollo Lake Park Neighborhood Association. He said many of the victims are former students from his years as a teacher.

Manatee deputies shoot with stun gun, arrest armed robbery suspect

2011-10-13T19:56:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- Deputies early Thursday arrested an armed robbery suspect, but not before they had to shoot him with a stun gun, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies went to a residence in the 2800 block of 17th Street West, after learning that suspect Walter Barnes was there.

As they approached, Barnes fled by trying to jump over a fence, but he was confronted by a police dog. When he returned to the residence, Barnes was confronted by deputies, according to a news release.

When he refused to show his hands and tried to run away, he was shot with a stun gun and taken into custody, the report states.

In addition to the armed robbery charge, Barnes faces several drug-related charges after deputies found cocaine and crack cocaine while searching him, according to the sheriff's office.

Barnes was being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

4 Manatee robbery suspects arrested in Hillsborough after Interstate 75 police chase

2011-10-13T19:53:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- Four suspects in a Bradenton robbery were arrested early Thursday after authorities chased them on Interstate 75 into Hillsborough County, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

About 4:07 a.m., the suspects allegedly robbed a woman of cash while she was stopped at the intersection of 51st Avenue East and 30th Street East in Bradenton. During the robbery, one of the suspects fired a gunshot into the air, according to a news release.

After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspects fled. A short time later, their vehicle was spotted near Interstate 75 and State Road 70 east and deputies began pursuing north on I-75, according to the report.

The suspects refused to stop. At one point, they exited at State Road 64 East, but then got back on the interstate heading towards Hillsborough.

The suspects again exited the interstate at Big Bend Road and were able to avoid stop sticks that had been placed on the road by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, according to Manatee deputies.

Hillsborough deputies tried again with the stop sticks at U.S. 41 and Riverview Road. The suspects drove over the devices, flattening two tires. The vehicle stopped and the suspects were arrested.

The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Tampa. No weapons were recovered at the scene, but the vehicle had not been processed, according to the report.

The four suspects, who are all from Tampa, were identified as Demario Murray, 24; De’Eric Moore, 17; Antwon Moore, 22; and Timothy Jefferson, 20.

Man, 82, thwarted from trying to jump off Skyway Bridge

2011-10-12T19:46:00.002-04:00

:MANATEE -- An 82-year-old man was taken in under the Baker Act on Wednesday morning after his ex-wife tipped off law enforcement that he was about to jump off the Skyway Bridge, the sheriff’s office reports.

After she called the Bradenton Police Department, toll booth personnel were alerted of the man’s vehicle description. They said that he had just gone through a toll booth and was headed toward the bridge, a media release said.

A Manatee deputy was able to catch up to the vehicle and initiate a traffic stop, the release said. The driver exited the vehicle and the deputy secured him before he was able to make it to the edge of the railing.

The man admitted he wanted to commit suicide and was taken to Manatee Glens.

Four unlocked vehicles, two residences burglarized in Manatee County

2011-10-12T19:39:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- Four unlocked vehicles and two residences were burglarized Wednesday morning in East Manatee, the sheriff’s office reports.

All four vehicles and one residence were left unlocked, a media release said. The other residence was occupied at the time.

The burglaries occurred sometime between midnight and 5 a.m. in the 4900 and 4800 blocks of West Country Club Drive and 5000 block of Inverness Drive.

Audio devices were taken from the unlocked residence, the release said. In the occupied residence, suspects attempted to take a TV that was in the kitchen.

A GPS, loose change, iPod, sunglasses and an $80 check were among the items taken from the vehicles, the release said.

No description for the suspects was provided.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at (941)745-3011.

Palmetto Police Department searches for Metro PCS robbery suspect

2011-10-12T19:32:00.000-04:00

PALMETTO -- The Palmetto Metro PCS store was robbed Wednesday afternoon, the Palmetto Police Department reports.

The incident occurred at the store, 651 10th St. E., just after 3 p.m.

That’s when a man walked into the store, pointed an angular object concealed in a T-shirt at the clerk and demanded money, a media release said.

The clerk complied with the demands, the suspect left the store with an undisclosed amount of cash and fled westbound on foot, the release said.

The suspect is described as a man between 30 and 45 years old, thin to medium build, and between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall.

He was wearing a green shirt with white lettering on his left chest, and white lettering and a design on the back, the release said. The suspect also had long black shorts and a camouflage ball cap with sandals.

Anyone with any information about this crime is asked to contact Detective Chris Cavazos at 723-4587, ext. 6124, or the Manatee County Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-8477. Callers may remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward.

Crime tip: Turn on the light

2011-10-11T21:12:00.000-04:00

Motion lights around a home or business can not only help light up a path, but they can also deter robbers, the Manatee sheriff's office says.

According to a media release, thieves are less likely to break into a car, home or office if the area has light surrounding it. One obvious reason: The light allows property owners, neighbors and law enforcement a way to see any would-be robbers.

To save on your electric bill, the sheriff's office suggests using a motion sensor.

Additional charges filed in Bradenton prostitution case

2011-10-11T20:30:00.002-04:00

BRADENTON -- Additional charges have been filed against three of the four Bradenton adults accused in the coercion of a 15-year-old Bradenton girl into prostitution, according to Detective Kevin Bunch of the Bradenton Police Department.

Anissa Lawson, 38, and Donald James, 44, who were arrested in this case along with Quental Harris, 28, and Anthony Gentile, 41, befriended the girl by offering her rock cocaine in August, the warrant stated.

Gentile’s latest charge is one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, according to arrest reports. This is in addition to five charges of engaging in sexual activity with a person between 12 and 15 years of age.

He is currently being held in Manatee County jail on bonds totaling $100,000.

Lawson faces two additional charges of child abuse, one charge allowing a child to engage in a sexual performance, procuring a person under age of 16 and carnal intercourse with a minor.

Her previous charges include nine counts of child abuse, eight counts of procuring a person under the age of 16 for prostitution, nine counts of promoting sexual activity with a victim younger than 15 and, possession of a controlled substance and eight counts of lewd and lascivious battery, the court documents stated.

She is in Manatee County jail on a $207,620 bond.

James faces additional charges of two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cannabis, possession of a controlled substance and domestic battery.

Those charges were added to his prior charges of child abuse, possession of a controlled substance, procuring a person under 16 for prostitution, engaging in sexual activity with a person 12 or older but less than 16, and intentionally touching a person under 16 in a lewd or lascivious manner, according to the release.
He is being held on a $62,360 bond.

Harris faces one charge of lewd and lascivious battery and was released Sept. 29 on a $10,000 bond.

Reputed Manatee members of SUR 13 gang charged

2011-10-11T12:51:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- Thirteen reputed members of the SUR 13 criminal street gang have been charged with racketeering and related charges, following an 18-month investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies.

The sheriff’s gang unit executed four search warrants Monday morning and arrested two suspects, officials said.
Four other suspects were already in jail and two were in prison. Five remain at large, according to a department news release.

Two of the suspects, Daniel Robledo, 25, and Manuel Ramirez, 20, were charged with murder in the June 15, 2009, shooting death of Rolando Martinez-Rosales in Bradenton. Robledo was already in jail, charged with murder in the July 23, 2011, shooting death of Elvis Ruiz in Bradenton.

Ramirez remains at large.

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act -- commonly referred to as the RICO Act or RICO -- is a federal law which allows extended criminal penalties for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. According to legal websites, it allows leaders of a gang to be tried for the crimes they ordered others to do or assisted them.

All of the defendants in the Manatee case face RICO and conspiracy to commit racketeering charges, officials said. This is the sheriff’s second RICO operation involving the gang SUR 13.

“It takes a number of these known gang members off of our streets, and the crimes they have been committing in the past now, hopefully, will stop, if we can get them convicted and sentenced to prison,” said Sheriff Brad Steube.

No injuries following shooting in Heritage Harbour

2011-10-08T20:47:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- There were no injuries following a shooting into a Manatee home Saturday morning, the sheriff’s office reports.

A single gunshot was fired between 1 to 2 a.m. at the residence in the 7000 block of Chatum Light Run in Heritage Harbour, which is just north of State Road 64 and east of Interstate 75.

The bullet went through a vacant bedroom window, through a wall and into a closet, the media release said.

A female, 39, was home during the shooting, but was not hurt, the release said.

Anyone with more information about this incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011.

$25K savings bond, $10K in jewelry taken in Manatee burglary

2011-10-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

:MANATEE -- A $25,000 savings bond and $10,000 worth of jewelry were taken from a Manatee home during a burglary earlier this week, the sheriff’s office reports.

The items were inside a safe at a residence in the 4700 block of Pinnacle Drive, a media release said. Personal information also was taken during the burglary.

The incident occurred sometime between Wednesday and Friday, according to the release.

There didn’t appear to be any forced entry into the home, the release stated.

Anyone with more information about this incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011.

Bradenton police investigation continues into girl lured into prostitution

2011-10-08T19:47:00.000-04:00

PALMETTO -- Drugs played a major factor in the coercion of a 15-year-old Bradenton girl into prostitution, according to a search warrant released this week.

Anissa Lawson, 38, and Donald James, 44, who were arrested in this case along with Quental Harris, 28, and Anthony Gentile, 41, befriended the girl by offering her rock cocaine in August, the warrant stated.

When the victim first met Lawson and James at the Sunshine Motel, 180114th St. W., she told them her age and Lawson advised that she knew how old she was and that the victim had gone to school with her daughter, the warrant said.

The girl went back to the motel and Lawson and James explained that in order to buy more rock cocaine she would have to go into prostitution, the warrant said.

Lawson then lined up men for sexual encounters and told the girl they would share the money she made from her actions, the warrant said.

Palmetto looks to nonviolence

2011-10-07T12:33:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- Dr. Martin Luther King’s work on nonviolence is being called upon by the city of Palmetto, which is dealing with an unsolved September shooting that claimed the lives of two and wounded 22.

Palmetto will host Kingian Non-Violence Seminars on Nov. 5 and 12, Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant announced Thursday.

The seminars are the result of a partnership between the Palmetto Police Department and the Jim Walter Partnership Center at the University of South Florida, and its executive director, Manuel Rivero, Groover-Bryant said.

“This training program will provide not only community leaders, but people from all walks of life, the opportunity to learn different steps to deal with confrontation in a nonviolent manner,” Rivero said.

The seminars consist of a six-step training curriculum, Rivero said.

The Palmetto Police Department hopes the seminars will unite community, city officials, nonprofits and faith-based organizations in a combined effort to end violence through joint participation in productive programs, said Lt. Scott Tyler of the Palmetto Police Department.

The event, which is open to the public, will be held, tentatively, at Bible Baptist Church on 17th Street in Palmetto, according to a news release.

A time is yet to be determined.

Manatee sheriff’s office gets re-accredited

2011-10-07T12:22:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has been re-accredited by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, according to a media release.

This marks the fifth time the agency has been re-accredited by the commission and resulted in the agency being recognized as an excelsior agency by the commission, which is granted to those agencies that have been re-accredited at least five times without any conditions.

The sheriff’s office is audited every three years by the commission to assure continued compliance with 80 standards, the release said.

The sheriff’s office is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. and the American Correctional Association.

HB police chief helping officers on home front

2011-10-07T09:55:00.002-04:00

Chief Jay Romine.
Photo from holmesbeachfl.org

HOLMES BEACH -- Domestic violence can impact everyone, even law enforcement and correctional officers.

That’s why Holmes Beach Police Chief Jay Romine has been working since 2009 on a domestic violence prevention program for the law enforcement community.

He’s been integral in the development of the Law Enforcement Families Partnership program with the Institute for Family Violence Studies at Florida State University.

The cornerstone of the project is a free, online curriculum that teaches officers how to keep their homes free of violence, and emphasizes healthy families and relationships.

“We interviewed a lot of officers and found if they even feel they are struggling, whether it be an anger issue, problems at home or anything like that, they are a little less inclined to seek out help than the average citizen would be,” Romine said.

Police: Man charged with having sex with Bradenton girl

2011-10-07T09:49:00.001-04:00

BRADENTON -- A 29-year-old Pinellas County man was arrested and charged Wednesday with having sexual relations with a then-14-year-old Bradenton girl he met through a dating website, the Bradenton Police Department reports.

Cory R. Hall and the minor, now 15, began to meet up in March via a dating site that utilizes a cell phone application, according to a media release.

The juvenile used her actual age on her site profile, the release said. He also used his actual age, 28 at the time, on the site.

BPD Detective Kevin Bunch said a traffic stop at a Pinellas County park tipped off authorities about the relationship.

They both told the Pinellas deputy who pulled them over that they didn’t have IDs and that they were cousins, according to Bunch.

After further investigation, they admitted to not being cousins and the deputy “found some lingerie in the car and he admitted he got it for her,” Bunch said.

That’s when the Pinellas sheriff’s office contacted the Bradenton Police Department

Teen charged in Manatee teacher’s slaying

2011-10-06T09:45:00.000-04:00

Johnson

NORTH PORT -- It’s been a little more than six months since Manatee School For the Arts teacher Kenneth Ellis was killed at his North Port home.

For his students, all the emotion of the tragedy came rushing back Wednesday when they learned North Port police had charged Katrelle D’mario Johnson, 19, in the teacher’s shooting death.

Jamie Rolle, 16, found out as she got to school.

“All day I have been on the verge of exploding with countless emotions that were just ready to pour out,” Jamie, a sophomore and one of Ellis’ tae kwon do students. “It’s been hard going from everyday seeing him to not anymore. It’s been really, really difficult.”

Police say Johnson, a North Port High School student, confessed during a jail house interview last month to the March 29 killing.

During a press conference, North Port Police Capt. Robert Estrada gave a run down on how the events of that night unfolded.

“This was a total random act,” he said.

Johnson and the other suspect had seen Ellis’ wife, Elizabeth, sitting at her computer in the front room and thought she was alone, Estrada said.

The doorbell rang shortly after 10 p.m.

Man, 19, charged with killing popular Manatee School for the Arts teacher

2011-10-05T20:19:00.000-04:00

NORTH PORT -- A 19-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in the March 29 slaying of Kenneth Ellis, a popular teacher at Manatee School for the Arts.

Katrelle D'mario Johnson admitted to shooting Ellis when he answered the door at his North Port home, North Port police said. Investigators were seeking a second suspect.

According to police, Johnson and another person may have seen Ellis' wife in a window and thought she was home alone. They rang the bell and may have been surprised when Ellis answered the door, officials said.

Police connected Johnson to the crime from a gun found in a Sarasota field.

Johnson was already in jail in connection with June 21 slaying of Robert Mann in Sarasota when investigators developed evidence that linked him with the Ellis slaying, officials said.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, working with the U.S. Marshals Service Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force, in July arrested Johnson in Saginaw, Texas, north of Fort Worth.

A second suspect, Deifalla Malik Johnson, 19, has been charged in the Mann case.

Bay News 9 contributed to this story.

Woman escapes home invasion attempt in Bradenton

2011-10-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A 40-year-old woman was able to flee her home after two masked gunmen early Wednesday kicked in her front door and tried to rob her, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

About 12:05 a.m., the suspects broke into a home in the 4900 block of Lake Hill Court, Bradenton, and demanded money, according to a news release.

The woman was able to get out of the house, and the suspects fled in an unknown direction by an unknown means, according to the report.

Multiple deputies, including K-9 units and the sheriff's helicopter, responded, but the suspects were not located. The suspects were described as having their faces covered and wearing all black clothing, according to the sheriff's office.

Lake Hill Court runs off 49th Avenue West, one block east of 34th Street West.

Manatee sheriff's employee suspended for hiring company

2011-10-05T19:58:00.002-04:00

MANATEE — A sheriff’s office employee was suspended for 36 hours after she hired a company without permission to do work for the agency and the had them hire her son for employment, an internal investigation report said.

In a sworn testimony, Valerie Griest, an application server manager, admitted that she failed to inform her supervisor in the Information Technology division prior to enlisting a temporary staffing agency, Synergy One, to assist in a web development project she was managing, the report said.

She also stated she failed to inform her supervisor that her son would complete the web programming project she was supervising. She added she was not trying to be deceitful and secretive when she made her choices, the report said.

According to the investigation, Griest asked Synergy One to do the programming jobs for the sheriff’s website because she felt the department was too understaffed to do it in a timely manner. In a letter written by Greist’s director to the chief inspector in August he stated: “The problem I have with Varlie enlisting the services of a staffing agency is that I was never informed. She has been using the services of Synergy One for this program without my knowledge or approval.”

The letter went on to say he took issue with the employment of her son.

“Had Valerie followed the correct protocol to check whether her son could do work for the agency, I personally would have done all possible to see if there was an avenue. I would have taken the time to see if there was a way of using him without causing a conflict,” he wrote.

Griest testified her intentions for employing her son was soley because he was already well versed in the theory and direction of the website, the report said. However, she did answer “absolutely, yeah,” when asked if she agreed she failed to keep her chain of command informed of her actions.

2 shot dead, 22 wounded in Palmetto

2011-09-10T11:23:00.000-04:00

PALMETTO -- Two are dead and 22 wounded after a shooting at a Palmetto club early this morning.

The Palmetto Police Department responded to a shooting at Club Elite, 704 10th Street West, at 12:30 a.m.

At least two shooters opened fire on the crowd at the front of the club. One of the homicide victims, 25 year-old Trayon Goff of Palmetto, was found dead outside of the club’s front door. The other person killed, 38 year-old Gwenette Matthews of Bradenton, was found inside the club, according to the Palmetto Police Department.

Twenty-two other people were hit by gunfire during the attack. The six most seriously wounded were taken to Bayfront Medical Center. Another 16 persons were treated at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

Investigators are aggressively pursuing leads in this case. Persons with any information about the crime are urged to call the Palmetto Police Department at 941-723-4587 or the Manatee County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-634-8477.

Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.

Man charged with DWI after backing into a deputy

2011-08-27T21:56:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- A Manatee man was arrested Saturday morning after backing his vehicle into a deputy’s patrol car while under the influence, the sheriff’s office reports.

Deputy Fiuza arrived at El Paisano, in the 5800 block of 15th Street East, at about midnight in response to an assignment, and waited in a parking lot facing south for a vehicle to back out of a parking space, a media release said.

While Fiuza was waiting, Ronaldo Hernandez Reyes, 23, backed his 2001 Toyota Avalon into the front right quarter panel of the patrol vehicle, the release said.

Information on what Reyes was under the influence of was not available right way, but according to the report he was charged two counts of driving while under the influence and damaging property, and one count of driving without a valid license. He is currently in Manatee County jail on a $4,120 bond.

No one was injured as a result of the accident and “very minimal damage” was done to the vehicles.

Bradenton homicide victim identified

2011-08-27T21:05:00.000-04:00

A Bradenton man found dead in his home Friday has been identified as Walton Leroy Orum, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday.

Orum, 65, was found at approximately 2:20 p.m., when deputies responded to an open door at Orum’s residence in the 3500 block of 20th Street West.

There was trauma to the body and detectives are treating the case as a homicide. Detectives have developed strong leads in the investigation, but have not made an arrest.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011, or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-TIPS (8477).

Man arrested after road rage incident

2011-08-27T16:15:00.002-04:00

MANATEE A 24-year-old Manatee man was arrested Wednesday after a alleged road rage incident, the sheriff’s office reports.

The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. while the victim was driving with her 4-year-old daughter in the vehicle.

Matthew Britten began to tailgate her on 301 Boulevard East, according to an arrest report said.

The victim threw her hands in the air and Britten responded with an obscene gesture, the report said. The victim then managed to get out of the way of Britten’s vehicle and jotted down his tag number.

The vehicles then were side-by-side at a red light when Britten pulled out a silver handgun, according to the report, pointed at the victim and cursed after she told him she had her child in the vehicle.

Out of fear, the victim pulled into a gas station and called 911, the report said.

Britten was later located and after being read his rights stated that the female driver was the one with road rage and alleged that she followed him, the report said.

He went on to say he pointed the gun at the woman because “she was acting crazy,” the report said, and he was in fear she was going to do something to him.

Britten was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and was released on a $10,000 bond Friday.

Deputies investigate homicide in Bradenton

2011-08-26T19:35:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- Detectives are investigating the death of a man in Bradenton as a homicide, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

About 2:20 p.m. Friday, deputies responded to a report of an open door at the residence in 3512 20th St. W. When they entered, they discovered the body of a white man in his 60s.

"There was trauma to the body, and detectives are treating this case as a homicide," a news release states.

As of 4:30 p.m., the victim had not positively been identified.

Anyone with information about this case can call the sheriff's office at (941) 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-TIPS.

1 arrested after shots fired at Sarasota deputy

2011-08-26T19:33:00.000-04:00

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office took one person in custody after shots were fired at a deputy investigating an abandoned 9-1-1 call in the 1600 block of Sweetland Street in Nokomis.

The initial call was received at 12:33 a.m. Upon arrival of a uniformed deputy in a marked patrol vehicle, shots were fired. The deputy verbally identified himself as a law enforcement officer and at least one more shot was fired, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

Backup units arrived and the SWAT Team responded to the scene. Negotiators made contact with the residents and at 4:20 a.m. and three people left the home without incident.

No one was injured.

The investigation is ongoing to determine charges against the suspected gunman, according to the sheriff's office.

Bradenton police puts out phone scam alert

2011-08-26T19:28:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON -- The Bradenton Police Department has recently received five complaints from citizens in regards to an individual by the name of “Bruce” telephoning them and saying they had won $500,000, Bradenton Police Department reports.

The caller then instructed the victims to purchase a $400 Walmart gift card and telephone him back with the card’s identification number for further prize details, a media release said.

Through an investigation it was discovered the calls are being generated through an untraceable international exchange telephone company.

A department detective was able to call “Bruce,” by using a number provided by a victim, according to Capt. Warren Merriman III.

During the conversation “Bruce” tried to convince the detective that this was not an illegal scam, but was not able to provide any facts that he was employed by a legitimate business, a release said.

The department warns residents not to comply with any requests if they receive such a call.

If you have further questions or concerns, contact BPD at (941) 932-9300.

Man charged with robbing Bradenton adult novelty store

2011-08-26T19:25:00.000-04:00

MANATEE--Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 38-year-old homeless man on charges he robbed an adult novelty store located just a block from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office headquarters.

Larry Junior Counts walked into the Naughty By Night adult novelty store around 11 p.m. Thursday night, according to a sheriff's report.

Officials say he placed two items on the counter and then displayed a “shiny metal object” that appeared to be a small pistol. Counts reportedly told the clerk, “This is a robbery and I have a gun,” the report states.

Counts, according to the report, took the money from the register and fled on foot. He was later spotted walking north on First Street.

The cashier identified Counts, who officials say admitted to the robbery.
Counts was being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

Veteran Manatee sheriff's lieutenant suspended for three weeks

2011-08-25T21:33:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A 26-year veteran sheriff’s lieutenant has been suspended for three weeks without pay for not putting in for overtime.

Lt. John Murrell, who oversees 18 school resource officers and two sergeants, was found to have “repeatedly failed to properly document his overtime hours on his time sheet,” according to an internal affairs report.

Murrell didn’t fudge his hours to get more overtime money than he was entitled. He simply didn’t submit his overtime hours for compensation.

“I do what I’m asked to do, and I probably do more, and the more got me in trouble,” he told the Bradenton Herald. “It was something I didn’t think would go to this point.”

Murrell said the discipline came about after he was the subject of an anonymous complaint, which the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office chose to investigate. The unsigned complaint even included criminal allegations.

“Everything else turned out to be unfounded,” he said. “But I still went through an eight-month investigation of the allegations.”

Murrell said he thinks the three-week suspension is a bit harsh.

“I think it’s a little too much, I really do,” he said.

Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube disagrees.

“He’s a lieutenant who is held to a higher standard than rank-and-file employees,” Steube said. “Not only should he have known what he was doing was incorrect, he admits he did know it was incorrect. I don’t think it’s a harsh punishment at all.”

Man seriously injured in road rage incident at school

2011-08-25T21:28:00.000-04:00

EAST MANATEE -- An arrest has been made in a road rage incident that led to a serious assault Thursday morning in the parking lot of Braden River Elementary School, the sheriff’s office reports.

John Sabin, 45, was placed in custody at about 6:45 p.m. and charged with aggravated battery after being positively identified by the victim, according to the sheriff’s office.

The 50-year-old victim was driving his 10-year-old son to the school, 6125 River Club Blvd., when he noticed he was being tailgated by a man also in his 50s, driving a black, two-door sports car, a media release said.

No suspects, motive in Bradenton slaying

2011-08-25T21:22:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON — Police are still searching for suspects or a possible motive in the slaying of Jason M. Stone, who was killed by a single gunshot to the head at his home in the Courtyard Square community.

Stone, 35, was found by his wife when she returned home at 11:21 p.m. Aug. 18. The killing is Bradenton’s first homicide since 2009. Bradenton Police Capt. Warren Merriman III said the killing is the main priority of his detectives, all 10 of whom are involved in following up leads in the case. So far, they have received more than 50 tips from the public.

“He was well known in the community,” Merriman said. “A lot of people knew him from his work at the gym.”

The killing doesn’t fit the normal homicide patterns. There were no drugs found in the residence, or other signs of wrongdoing. Stone’s wife has been fully cooperative. Merriman said she is not a suspect. Neither can police identify any enemies.

“None that we’ve detected,” Merriman said. “Everyone describes him as a good guy with an outgoing personality.”

Palmetto officer facing domestic assault charges

2011-08-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

MANATEE — Palmetto police officer David J. Filipiak was arrested Friday morning at his police department by Manatee sheriff’s deputies, and charged with aggravated domestic assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony.

According to court documents, Filipiak’s wife accused him of pointing his police-issued Taser and his privately-owned AR-15 rifle at her and the two children she has from a previous relationship — a 14-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy.

“Since David’s recent suspension from the department, his behavior has become unpredictable and he has been making threats against some of his fellow officers and has placed (his wife) in fear of her life,” the documents state.

Palmetto police spokesman Lt. Scott Tyler said Filipiak’s previous suspension stemmed from a minor violation of administrative rules.

Man injured in Bradenton mugging

2011-08-20T21:32:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- A 33-year-old man early Saturday was knocked off his bicycle and robbed by several men who took his money and his bike, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The mugging took place about 12:56 a.m. in the 5900 block of 12th Street East, according to a news release.

One suspect knocked the man off the bicycle, and two others took his wallet and money from his pockets. They fled on the victim's bike, according to the sheriff's office.

The victim was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital for treatment of a minor injury to his head suffered in the attack.

Man injured in Palmetto home invasion

2011-08-20T21:20:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- A 57-year-old man was beaten and robbed during a home invasion Friday in Palmetto, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

About 5:15 p.m., the victim answered a knock on the door of his residence in the 1900 block of 17th Street East, Palmetto, and found two men described as being in their 20s.

They entered the residence and beat him up, according to a news release. The residence was ransacked, but it was unknown whether anything was taken.

Anyone with information about this case can call the sheriff's office at (941) 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-TIPS.

The man was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg with non-life-threatening injuries.

Manatee jail inmate charged with attempted murder-for-hire

2011-08-19T16:54:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- An inmate at the Manatee County jail has been charged with trying to hire a hitman to kill a witness in his pending criminal case, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Roderick Hamilton, 23, was charged Friday with solicitation for murder.

Detectives began their investigation a week ago after receiving information that Hamilton was trying to put up a contract for a hit, according to a news release.

Hamilton agreed to pay a detective posing as a hitman $6,000 to carry out the killing, the sheriff's office said.

Hamilton was charged last year in connection to a shooting that occurred at the Burger King restaurant at 3803 First St. E., Bradenton.

Bradenton police investigate shooting death

2011-08-19T14:14:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON -- Bradenton police are investigating a homicide that occurred just before midnight Thursday in the 2900 block of 29th Avenue West in the Courtyard Square community.

Jason Matthew Stone, 35, was killed by a single gunshot to the front of his head, said Capt. Warren Merriman III.

Detectives recovered one spent casing from a semi-automatic handgun.

Police have no suspects or motive for the killing, Merriman said.

Stone had no criminal history. There were no drugs, weapons or any evidence of wrongdoing found in his home.

The Courtyard Square community is quiet. Crime is rare. The four-plex where Stone lived is well-maintained and quiet.

Palmetto police officer arrested

2011-08-19T13:51:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- Palmetto Police Officer David Filipiak was arrested this morning by Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies and charged with aggravated domestic assault with a deadly weapon.

Filipiak remains in the county jail. His bond has yet to be set, according to sheriff’s spokesman Dave Bristow.

Filipiak was relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave by the Palmetto Police Department, according to a written statement sent Friday by Lt. Scott Tyler, which states that the action was taken after the agency learned of “alleged incidents of domestic violence committed by Officer Filipiak.”

The officer will remain on administrative leave pending the disposition of his criminal charges, and the conclusion of an internal investigation by Palmetto Police.

Bradenton doctor charged with illegal distribution of drugs

2011-08-11T19:42:00.000-04:00

TAMPA — A Bradenton physician has been charged with seven counts of illegally distributing drugs, the United States Attorney Office Middle District said in a media release.

If convicted on all counts Aimee Martin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a media release said. Martin allegedly illegally prescribed Oxycodone and Hydrocodone on seven occasions between September 2009 and May 2010, according to the indictment.

Deputies seek shooting suspect

2011-08-11T19:37:00.002-04:00

MANATEE — Deputies are investigating a shooting into unoccupied vehicles that occurred early Thursday morning in the 1200 block of 24th Avenue East in Palmetto.

A white, newer model SUV with dark-tinted windows was seen in the area when several gunshots were heard. Three vehicles at a nearby business were hit by 8-10 rounds from an unknown caliber weapon.
No injuries were reported.

Anyone with more information is asked to call the sheriff's office at (941) 747-3011.

Manatee couple arrested for stealing from man's mom

2011-08-11T17:09:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A Manatee man and his girlfriend have been arrested after jewelry was stolen from his mother’s home while she was in Blake Medical Center for respiratory problems, the sheriff’s office reports.
According to an arrest report, Lionel Rodriguez, 26, and Tiffany Bedwell, 23, took jewelry and coins from the victim’s home while she was in the hospital from July 29 to Aug. 7.

On Aug. 4, Rodriguez and Bedwell completed a pawn shop transaction for five pieces of jewelry for $75, the report said.

The victim is still missing three antique wheat pennies (valued at $75), three silver dollars ($120), a two-dollar bill and other jewelry valued at $250, the report said.

Following their arrest Tuesday, both suspects gave investigators different accounts of who took the jewelry and what occurred afterward, the report said.

Since Bedwell’s name was on the pawn ticket, she received charges of dealing in stolen property and defrauding a pawn broker, according to the report.

She is currently in Manatee County jail on those charges, along with grand theft and possession of a controlled substance, the report said. She is being held without bond.

Rodriguez is also at Manatee County jail on a $1,000 bond and has been charged with grand theft.

Bradenton man charged with offering child $100 for sex

2011-08-09T18:13:00.000-04:00

Miller

MANATEE -- A Bradenton man was charged with three sex crimes after police say he offered a child in his apartment complex $100 for sex and then exposed himself after an adult intervened.

Charles Miller, 48, of the 4200 block of 52nd Place West, was arrested Saturday and charged with lewd and lascivious exhibition, lewd and lascivious battery and exposure of sexual organ.

According to court documents, Miller struck up a conversation with the child who was playing outside, telling her she was pretty. At one point, the documents state, Miller began to rub the child’s shoulder, and then offered her $100 to return to his apartment and have sex.

Miller’s actions were witnessed by an adult who saw the touching, heard the offer of sex and then forced Miller’s hand from the child. Miller, according to police, then exposed himself and began to urinate, laugh, wink and make vulgar noises at the pair.

He remains jailed on bonds totaling $7,500.

Sarasota man wanted for first degree murder in wife's slaying

2011-08-06T17:16:00.000-04:00

A 48-year-old Sarasota woman died Saturday after her husband allegedly shot her before turning the gun on himself, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

As a result the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is pursuing a warrant for first degree murder for the husband, a media release said.

Both Nancy Olms and her husband Frank Olms, 66, were airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center at about 9 p.m. Friday following the shooting at their home in the 50th block of Beverly Circle in Englewood.

Deputies learned of the incident after Frank Olms ran to a neighbor's door to tell her there had been a shooting and to call 911, according to Wendy Rose, public information officer.

Both husband and wife were bleeding from the head, according to Rose.

"He does not have a brain injury," Rose said.

The investigation is still ongoing by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Section.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Criminal Investigations Section at 941-861-4900 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477), or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com or via text message by texting TIP109 plus a message to CRIMES (274637).

Man, 43, shot to death in Bradenton

2011-08-06T14:51:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- A 43-year-old man was shot to death in Bradenton early Saturday, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Roman Hall was found lying on the ground outside the back door of his residence in the 5700 block of Seventh Street East shortly after 12:30 a.m. Deputies performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but Hall was pronounced dead at 12:48 a.m., according to a news release.

A witness told deputies they heard a gunshot about 12:30 a.m., and when they stepped outside they saw a possible suspect running through the victim's back yard toward the alley, according to the report.

"There was evidence of drug dealing at the residence, but a motive in the shooting has not been determined at this time," the report states.

The possible suspect was described as having "a medium size afro," and wearing a long black shirt with white lettering and blue shorts, according to the sheriff's office.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call the sheriff's office at (941) 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-TIPS.

5700 7th St. E., Bradenton, Fla.

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2 injured in Sarasota shooting

2011-08-05T23:42:00.000-04:00

A man and woman were airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg following a Sarasota County shooting Friday night, the sheriff's office reports.

The shooting occurred at about 7 p.m. in the 50th block of Beverly Circle in Englewood, a media release said.

The sheriff's office is investigating the incident and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Criminal Investigations Section at (941) 861-4900 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling (941) 366-TIPS (8477), go online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com or text "TIP109" plus a message to CRIMES (274637).

Manatee's sheriff's traffic unit wins motorcycle, car

2011-08-05T23:39:00.000-04:00

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office traffic unit won a 2011 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2011 Dodge Challenger R/T as a part of the Florida Department of Transportation's 2010 Click It Or Ticket Challenge.

The sheriff's office also had these honors in the Click It Or Ticket Challenge:

Motor Unit Challenge Award: Second place in the state out of about 100 agencies.

Click It Or Ticket Award: First place in its tier out of more than 240 agencies.

Law Enforcement Challenge: Second place out of 100 agencies.

The traffic unit was recognized at an FDOT awards banquet July 22 in Orlando.

Hate crime numbers down nationwide

2011-08-05T23:34:00.000-04:00

The number of hate crimes reported to the National Crime Victimization Survey fell from an estimated 239,400 in 2003 to 148,400 in 2009, according to a media release from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Here are some of Manatees's numbers, according to authorities:

* In Bradenton, there were 33 hate crimes reported in 2007, but only five in 2009.

* The sheriff's office, there were no hate crimes reported in 2003, but one reported in 2009.

* Palmetto has not had a hate crime reported since 1994.

Almost 90 percent of hate crimes were perceived to be motivated by racial or ethnic prejudice or both, the release said, and in about 98 percent of these crimes, the offender used hate-related language.

In about 54 percent of hate crimes nationwide, the offender was a stranger to the victim, the release said.

Suspect in beating of Sister Nora arrested

2011-08-05T19:25:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- The man accused of attacking Sister Nora Brick on Valentine's Day has been arrested, according to authorities.

Eliseo Ortiz, 51, was arrested by the Tarpon Springs Police Department on Thursday on a warrant charging him with aggravated assault, said Dave Bristow, spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Ortiz is currently being held in Pinellas County Jail and is expected to be transferred to the Manatee County Jail where he will await trial.

Deputy stuns woman with a Taser

2011-08-04T16:32:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A 23-year-old woman was stunned with a Taser after she resisted arrest during a traffic stop Thursday morning, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
A deputy stopped Shantee R. Goodson for speeding in the 3000 block of First Street East, Bradenton, about 11:15 a.m. When she was told that she was being arrested for driving with a suspended license, she refused to get out of her vehicle, according to a report.

She continued to resist as the deputy tried to handcuff her, so the deputy drive-stunned her with a Taser.

Goodson also tried to kick out the rear window of the patrol vehicle but was unsuccessful.

She faces charges of driving with a suspended license and resisting arrest.

Sheriff’s office ends search for missing Anna Maria woman with no results

2011-08-03T17:12:00.000-04:00

ANNA MARIA -- After almost four weeks, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office today ended its search for Sabine Musil-Buehler on Anna Maria Island, the sheriff’s office reports.

“We would have liked to find something,” said sheriff’s spokesman Dave Bristow. “You could say we are disappointed, but you knew going in there was that chance.”

Bristow said it was important for deputies to do everything they could to find the 49-year-old businesswoman, who has been missing since Nov. 4, 2008, and according to the sheriff’s office is presumed dead. No arrests have been made.

“She could be anywhere, and that makes it difficult,” Bristow said.

Bradenton traffic stop yields 5 pounds of marijuana, arrest

2011-08-03T11:31:00.000-04:00

Suphanthamit

MANATEE -- A traffic stop early Wednesday lead to the discovery of more than five pounds of marijuana in the vehicle, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

A deputy stopped Soutsaydone Suphanthamit, 29, of St. Petersburg in the 600 block of U.S. 301 Boulevard at 12:34 a.m. because a tag light was out. The deputy smelled unburnt marijuana and asked where the marijuana was. Suphanthamit removed a joint from his right front pocket and said, "Here it is, sorry, man," a report states.

The deputy search the vehicle and found what was weighed as 5.22 pounds of marijuana, in individual one-pound packages, according to the sheriff's office.

"The suspect advised that it was his for personal use," the report states.

Deputies also found that Suphanthamit was carrying $869 in cash, according to the report.

Suphanthamit faces charges of possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the sheriff's office. He was being held on bonds totaling $3,360.

Fight over pain pills leads to woman’s arrest

2011-08-02T23:17:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- A Manatee County woman was arrested Tuesday after an argument over prescription pills, the sheriff’s office reports.

Elizabeth White, 30, who gets her Oxycodone prescription filled at the end of each month frequently trades pills with a woman who gets her medication filled at the beginning of each month, a media release said.

White gets 15 pills from the other woman and returns with interest 30 pills to the other woman at the end of each month, the release said.

But at about 7 p.m. the other woman told White she wasn’t going to give her any more pills, causing White to allegedly attack her in an apartment in the 8400 block of Tamiami Trail, the release said.

The victim then gave White a small container of six Oxycodone pills, the release said. White took the pills and fled, but was later arrested.

White is currently in Manatee County jail.

Sheriff's office: Safe with 23 guns stolen out of Palmetto home

2011-08-02T20:05:00.002-04:00

PALMETTO -- A 700-pound safe containing 23 guns valued at $15,000 and a 50-pound safe with approximately $7,000 in cash, $3,000 in jewelry and coins and $3,000 in savings bonds were stolen Tuesday out of a Palmetto home, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office reports.

The resident of the home in the 3000 block of 105th Street East went to work at around 7:30 a.m. and returned at approximately 4:30 p.m. to find a front window smashed and an office and two bedrooms ransacked, a report stated.

There are no known suspects or witnesses at this time.

The victim, 56, is a member of the Manatee gun club. He told deputies that he has no idea who might have committed the crime.

Manatee resident sees A/C unit being stolen, calls 911

2011-07-30T20:26:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A Manatee resident called 911 on Saturday morning after discovering two men taking a neighbor’s air-conditioning unit, the sheriff’s office reports.

The neighbor, who lives in the 5300 block of Third Street Court West, heard his dog barking at about 11 a.m., a media release said. He walked outside and saw the unit being stolen.

The neighbor got a vehicle tag number as the suspects fled.

By following up on the tag, deputies were able to interview a 34-year-old man who led them to arrest suspect Timothy Willoughby, 28, the release said.

According to the release, Willoughby was in the process of breaking down the A/C unit when deputies arrived; the remains of the unit were recovered and placed into evidence.

Deputies have another suspect in the case, but charges have yet to be filed against him, the release said.

Two Bradenton establishments fined for underage drinking

2011-07-30T19:20:00.002-04:00

BRADENTON -- Two Bradenton businesses were charged with selling and serving alcohol to minors following an underage drinking operation Thursday, the Bradenton Police Department reports.

The department visited 15 businesses in the county. The BP gas station at 2925 Manatee Ave. W. and Council’s, 536 12th St. W., were found in violation and issued a notice to appear summons, a media release said

Manatee sheriff’s deputy suspended for 86 hours

2011-07-30T09:57:00.001-04:00

MANATEE -- A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been suspended for 86 hours without pay after an inmate’s claims that he used derogatory racial language and misused his stun gun were sustained, according to an internal affairs investigation report obtained Friday by the Herald.

The accusations against Deputy Robert Casbarro stemmed from a May 30 incident in which an in- mate alleged Casbarro pointed his electronic weapon toward his back while in a common area of the Manatee County jail, the report stated.

A surveillance video of the incident shows Casbarro and four inmates, and at one point the inmate who filed the charges walks toward a main door with his back facing Casbarro and a seated inmate.

That’s when Casbarro is seen pointing the stun gun at the inmate, causing him to back against a wall, the report said.

Commission OKs new deputies, higher taxes for Manatee sheriff's office

2011-07-29T22:06:00.002-04:00

BRADENTON -- The Manatee County Commission this morning approved giving Sheriff Brad Steube an additional $2 million so he can hire 20 additional deputies.

The commission by a 5-2 vote approved funding that will allow the sheriff's office to hire 10 new road deputies and 10 new corrections deputies. The hirings will be funded by $1.6 million in property taxes -- which will require a millage increase -- and about $400,000 in impact fees.

Voting against the proposal were commissioners Robin DiSabatino and Donna Hayes. Voting for the proposal were commission chairwoman Carol Whitmore and commissioners Larry Bustle, John Chappie, Michael Gallen and Joe McClash.

The commission continues to work on the 2011-2012 budget. A final vote is set for September.

Bradenton man facing multiple counts of child porn

2011-07-29T21:02:00.001-04:00

BRADENTON -- A 46-year-old Bradenton man was charged with multiple counts of child pornography after detectives linked him to an iPod nano that contained the images, the Bradenton Police Department reports.

“They had to track the iPod to the guy,” said BPD Capt. Warren Merriman.

An investigation led detectives to John Essaf, who was arrested Thursday at his home in the 3000 block of Castleton Drive.

“He was up front and admitted to the iPod being his,” Merriman said.

The iPod was found about two weeks ago in an apartment complex.

“The person who found it saw images of a pornographic nature on it and thought it should be turned in,” Merriman said.

Toddler found riding tricycle in middle of road in Myakka City

2011-07-29T16:21:00.002-04:00

MANATEE - A toddler wearing nothing but a diaper was discovered riding his tricycle southbound in the middle of Wauchula Road in Myakka City at 11:25 a.m. Thursday, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

An observer stopped his vehicle and told the boy to go home, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report.

The Good Samaritan followed the youngster as the child made his home to Myakka Boulevard. The observer knocked on the boy’s door and returned the child to the people inside, the report states.

It does not appear that anyone was arrested for the alleged child neglect.

Disabled veteran stabbed 50 times, shot in head in Sarasota; female suspect arrested

2011-07-28T20:40:00.002-04:00

Osborne

A 28-year-old Sarasota woman has been charged with second-degree murder, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office reported Thursday.

Jennie Lee Osborne is accused of killing Terrence Edwards, 65, at about 3 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Winson Avenue.

An autopsy found the victim died as a result of 50 stab wounds to the torso and a gunshot to the back of the head, the report said.
Edwards, a disabled veteran, met Osborne outside of Cafe de la Bay in Englewood and invited her to his residence, according to a redacted arrest report.

On Wednesday night, deputies responded to a call at Englewood Community Hospital at about 8:30 p.m. where Osborne claimed to have shot and stabbed Edwards after she was sexually assaulted by him, a report said.

No evidence of sexual assault was found after a medical exam.

After being read her rights, Osborne admitted something to the deputies regarding this case, the report said, but details on the admission were blocked out on the report.

"The defendant made statements to four separate people that she did something really terrible and that she would be going to prison for a very long time," the report said.

Osborne is currently in Sarasota County jail.

Man charged with lewd acts on minor

2011-07-28T19:48:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON-- An 18-year-old man was arrested Wednesday on charges of lewd and lascivious battery, the Bradenton Police Department reports.

Anthony Coale allegedly had a 14-year-old girl perform sexual acts on him at a Bradenton church in May, an arrest report said.

Earlier this month Coale went to the department for questioning on this case and told police he knew the victim’s age and that having relations with her would be illegal, the report said.

Coale has been charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious battery and is currently being held in Manatee County jail on a $20,000 bond.

Key Royale Club members react to arrest of ex-bookkeeper on fraud charges

2011-07-28T19:45:00.000-04:00

HOLMES BEACH — So where is all that money?
That’s what some Key Royale Club members wanted to know Thursday now that their former bookkeeper, Holly Elaine Connelly, turned herself into authorities Wednesday morning in connection with $387,181.77 in missing club funds.
Connelly, 29, who left the private club on Anna Maria Island in April, has been charged with scheme to defraud and was still in the Manatee Central jail on Thursday in lieu of a $500,000 bond.

Manatee sheriff’s funding request to get hard look

2011-07-28T19:40:00.002-04:00

BRADENTON -- In 2007, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office budget took about 40 percent of property tax pie in Manatee County.

Wracked by a devastated economy, tax revenues have been shrinking ever since. The sheriff now takes 60 percent of that smaller pool, county finance director Jim Seuffert estimates.

Sheriff Brad Steube says he understands the county’s economic woes, but that his department is understaffed and at a “tipping point” in fighting crime.

Second home invasion in Lakewood Ranch gated community may be linked to first

2011-07-27T17:15:00.001-04:00

LAKEWOOD RANCH -- For the second time in recent weeks, a home in the same gated neighborhood in Lakewood Ranch has been hit by a home invasion.

"It's the same person, we think. We're going on the description, the proximity, and the M.O. (modus operandi)," Dave Bristow, spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, said today.

Tuesday night, two people were robbed at gunpoint in their home in the 8400 block of Misty Morning Court, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office reported.

That address is just a few blocks from another home on Waters Edge Way that was hit by a home invasion on July 17.
In the Tuesday robbery, an intruder knocked on the victims’ door about 6:30 p.m. and forced his way into the home at gunpoint after being told the person he was asking for didn’t live there, the sheriff's office reported.

Key Royale Club employee charged with embezzling club funds

2011-07-27T17:13:00.000-04:00

HOLMES BEACH -- A former employee of the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach has been arrested and charged with embezzling a reported $485,000 from the club, according to the Holmes Beach Police Department.

Holly Elaine Connelly, 30, was arrested early Wednesday, and was being held at the Manatee County jail on $500,000 bond, on a charge of scheme to defraud more than $50,000.

"After months of exhaustive investigation, Ms. Connelly is accused of embezzling funds from the Key Royale Club during her employment there," a Holmes Beach Police Department news release states.

The release did not say exactly how much Connelly is accused of stealing. But in several letters to club members and club publication, club president Craig Humphreys revealed that the loss was an estimated $485,000.

In March, Key Royale Club’s new treasurer, Tim Friesen, first discovered inappropriate use of deposit accounts, including fraudulent checks written on a forged signature as well as misuse of the club’s debit card, all of which amounted to a total loss estimated to be Humphreys told club members.

In May, Humphreys revealed to club members that a crime had been committed, and the club's bank and the Holmes Beach Police Department were advised of what club officials had uncovered.

Gunmen rob couple in Bradenton, force their way into woman's home

2011-07-27T10:09:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A robbery early Wednesday that started in the street ended with four gunmen forcing their way into one of the victim's home and stealing more cash, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

A man and a woman were walking down a road about 12:20 a.m. when they were robbed at gunpoint by four suspects.

They then forced the woman to lead them to her home in the 5900 block of 12th Street East, where they stole more cash, according to a news release.

The suspects then fled westbound on foot.

There were three other people in the house, but none were injured, according to the sheriff's office.

Sheriff's deputies, including K9 and aviation units, searched the area but did not find the suspects.

The sheriff's office said there were varying descriptions of the suspects, and that at least two were carrying guns.

MSO July Deputy of the Month

2011-07-26T23:55:00.000-04:00

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office has named Deputy Daniel Ensign Deputy of the Month for his actions in a July 3 suicide attempt, a media release said.

When Ensign arrived on scene, a woman was threatening to kill herself with a medium-sized sword that she held against her body. The woman’s roommate was trying to stop her from harming herself; and both women were wedged between a bed and a dresser, the release said.

Deputy Ensign was able to get near the women and pry away the sword.

MSO July Employee of the Month

2011-07-26T23:53:00.000-04:00

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office has named Jason Smith employee of the month for July in light of his actions at a May 18 burglary scene.

Smith processed a burglary crime scene where more than $35,000 worth of property was stolen, including a firearm. He took several photographs of apparent latent prints from a metal box and submitted the prints for lab analysis, a media release said.

Those prints led law enforcement to a known burglar recently released from prison, the release said. The State Attorney’s Office and Department of Corrections has since charged the suspect, and he is facing up to 30 years, just for the violation of probation.

2 robbed during home invasion

2011-07-26T22:43:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- Two people were robbed at gunpoint during a home invasion Tuesday night, the sheriff’s office reports.

The suspect knocked on the victims’ door at about 6:30 p.m. in the 8400 block of Misty Morning Court and forced his way into the home at gunpoint after being told the person he was asking for didn’t live there, a media release said.

The suspect told the male victim he was not going to hurt him, then took a female who was inside the home into the master bedroom, where he tied her to a bed post and stole her jewelry, the release said.

The suspect then bound the male victim’s hands together and attempted to kidnap him, to no avail. He later fled the scene after he realized the female victim was able to free herself from the bed to call 911, the release said.

The suspect is described as about 6 feet tall, clean shaven and about 20 years old. He was last seen wearing a light-colored hat, light-colored shirt and khaki shorts.

Anyone with information about this incident should call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at (941) 747-3011.

Deputies seek robbery suspect in LWR

2011-07-26T22:40:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- Deputies were searching the area near Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and University Parkway on Tuesday night for a robbery suspect, the sheriff’s office reports.

Several patrol vehicles were seen around the intersection at about 6:30 p.m. as a helicopter and canine units searched for the suspect.

No arrest has been made yet, according to a deputy.

No more details were available.

The search for 'a good soul' continues on Anna Maria Island

2011-07-26T17:46:00.000-04:00

ANNA MARIA — As she watched a front-loader unsuccessfully search for the remains of her missing friend Sabine Musil-Buehler Tuesday, Suzi Fox of Anna Maria Turtle and Shorebird Monitoring remembered Musil-Buehler as a “fun-loving person with a good soul.”

“She was the most creative and talented person you could ever meet,” Fox said Tuesday as the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office’s dig for Musil-Buehler worked between Cedar and Palmetto avenues without coming up with any additional clues.

“Give her a common chore and she would create a masterpiece,” Fox saidof her long-time fellow turtle advocate.

Parasailer's death still a mystery

2011-07-26T17:43:00.002-04:00

BRADENTON BEACH — A propeller hub failure caused the 28-foot commercial boat Almost Heaven to slow down on June 27, causing a 31-year-old parasailer attached to it to have a shorter-than-expected flight.

But did the failure of the hub — which the U.S. Coast Guard has apparently advised the boat’s owner after an inspection — contribute in any way to the death of South Carolina tourist David Sieradzki who was the parasailer on that fateful flight?

That and other questions remain to be answered in the tragic death of Sieradzki, which occurred about a mile and a half off Longboat Key after he went parasailing with his family and a crew from the Fun N Sun parasailing company out of Bradenton Beach.

Sheriff: Woman beaten, robbed by ex-boyfriend in Bradenton

2011-07-26T14:38:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- A 20-year-old woman early was beaten, kicked and robbed by an ex-boyfriend while she was walking home early Monday, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The woman was walking home from a friend's house in the 500 block of 60th Avenue West about 1:35 a.m. when she heard someone call her name. She turned, saw that it was her former boyfriend and started to run away, according to a news release.

The man caught up with her and started pulling her hair. He snatched a cell phone out of her hand and started hitting her about the head with his fist. He then pushed her to the ground and started kicking her, according to the sheriff's office.

The victim started screaming for help, and the suspect fled on foot with the cell phone.

The victim had some bruising on her left forearm and was treated by paramedics on the scene.

A K-9 unit tracked the suspect, but he was not located.

Detectives seek clues to Bradenton slaying

2011-07-26T14:35:00.000-04:00

BRADENTON -- Anyone who was at the La Habla bar, 5649 15th St. E., late Friday or early Saturday might be able to help the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office solve a crime.

Detectives now know that an incident that ended with the shooting death of 28-year-old Elvis Ruiz at 2:56 a.m. Saturday began with a disturbance at the Bradenton bar, sheriff’s spokesman Randy Warren said Monday.

“We can use some help,” Warren said. “We believe it started at the bar and moved. We know there was gunfire later and two people got shot, but we don’t know exactly how it all started. Obviously, there were witnesses at La Habla.”

Bradenton couple arrested on animal cruelty charges

2011-07-26T14:32:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- A Bradenton couple was arrested Monday and each charged with eight counts of cruelty to animals after police officers discovered they were keeping animals in deplorable conditions in three separate houses.

Marcos and Brenda Steiner, who are 46 and 56 respectively, are in the Manatee Central Jail in lieu of $8,000 bond each.

The Steiners had four cats locked inside the bathroom of one house, whose address was not listed in a Bradenton Police Department description of the incident.

3 gunmen pull off robbery in Bradenton

2011-07-26T14:29:00.000-04:00

MANATEE — Three gunmen early Tuesday robbed three people as they were leaving a house in Bradenton, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The victims — two men and a woman — were leaving a house in the 900 block of 35th Avenue Drive East about 3:55 a.m., when they were approached by three suspects who at gunpoint ordered them to the ground, according to a news release.

The suspects took money, jewelry and cell phones, before fleeing on foot in an unknown direction.

The suspects were wearing black and camouflage clothing, and they had their faces covered. Two were described as standing 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds. The third suspect was described as standing 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds, according to the sheriff's office.

1 dead, another injured in Bradenton shooting

2011-07-24T10:50:00.000-04:00

MANATEE -- One person is dead and another wounded after a pair of gang-related shootings in the same block Saturday morning, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Elvis Ruiz, 27, was found injured with a gunshot wound inside a residence in the 900 block of 33rd Avenue East at around 3 a.m., a release states. He was airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg and pronounced dead at about 8:30 a.m., said Randy Warren, a public information officer with the sheriff’s office.

The other victim, a 26-year-old man, was found in front of another residence, transported to Manatee Memorial Hospital with minor injuries and later released.

Detectives believe the shootings are gang-related, the release said.

“We are dealing with rival gangs here,” Warren said.

He said investigators believe others may have been involved.

The cul-de-sac where the shootings occurred is made up of duplexes with toys scattered across front yards.

One neighbor said she still feels safe in the area, and others who live on the block said they didn’t hear any shots fired during that time.

“We have two people who were shot and not much in terms of witnesses,” Warren said. “What we are trying to do is get more information.”

Anyone with information can call the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011 or CrimeStoppers at (866) 634-8477.

Manatee ice cream vendor robbed

2011-07-23T19:06:00.002-04:00

MANATEE -- An ice cream cart vendor was robbed Saturday afternoon at gunpoint, the sheriff’s office reports.

The 53-year-old was pushing his cart westbound on 60th Avenue East at about 4 p.m. when he was approached by two suspects, a media release said. One of the suspects held a gun to the victim as they took $150 and a cellphone from his pockets.

A 26-year-old man who was driving in the area attempted to stop the suspects, but they pointed a gun at him as well, the release said. The suspects then fled southbound on Fifth Street West.

There were no injuries and no shots fired.

Both suspects are described as 5 feet 10 inches tall to 6 feet with a thin build and short hair. One of them was last seen wearing black-and-white shorts with a black shirt, and the other was seen wearing jeans and a black shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011.

Manatee man robbed of cell phones and money

2011-07-23T18:58:00.002-04:00

MANATEE — A 46-year-old man was robbed outside his carport Friday night, the sheriff’s office reports.
The victim was outside his residence at about 11 p.m. in the 500 block of 37th Avenue Drive East when he was rushed by two armed men wearing all black clothing, gloves and ski masks.

The suspects forced the victim inside the residence, ordered the rest of his family to get on the floor and then took three cell phones and cash from them, a media release said. They then fled in a dark-colored sedan, possibly a Lincoln.

No shots were fired, and nobody was injured during the robbery.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-8477.