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NEWS
July 27, 2010 Strong Armed Robbery at ARC Facility On Wednesday, July 27th at approximately 9:53 AM, one suspects entered the office area of the ARC facility located at 2301 Husson Avenue. The suspect forced a woman in the office to the floor and demanded money. They took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled from the building. The suspect was described as a black male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, thin build wearing a red t-shirt, black stone washed jeans (oversized) and white dirty tennis shoes. The suspect was also wearing a black and red ski mask and black cloth gloves. The suspect was believed to be armed with a handgun. The victim, a 53 year old female received minor injuries during the robbery. Officers responded to area and searched for possible suspects. Officer Mike Meredith observed a man in a vehicle matching the description of the suspect near Oleander Drive. The officer turned around to check on the subject and he fled in the vehicle. The officer called for assistance and pursued the vehicle. Other officers including Florida Highway Patrol assisted in trying to stop the vehicle. The vehicle fled to the area of West Oak Hill Drive where it ran into a wall. The occupants fled on foot. Officers attempted to locate the suspects. They were successful in locating 2 of the persons in the vehicle. One subject was not located. The occupants of the vehicle are being considered as possible suspects in the robbery, but no charges have been filed. The third subject who fled from the vehicle has been identified as Alton Clark, age 22 of Palatka. He is wanted for aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer. July 26, 2010 Drug Operation Results in Numerous Arrests On Friday, July 23rd, the Palatka Police Department Street Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at a residence located at 809 Bronson Street. The officers located crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the residence. Three persons were arrested. Rodney Graham, age 35 was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. Koscina Dennis, age 33 was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. Deloris Major, age 34 was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. All three were booked into the Putnam County Jail. After the search warrant was completed, the officers set up a reverse drug sale operation at the location. An officer posing as a drug dealer sold illegal drugs to persons coming to the location to buy drugs. At approximately 7:45 PM, a man and a woman arrived at the location in a vehicle. The man exited the vehicle and made contact with the undercover officer. The man purchased crack cocaine from the officer. The man got back in the vehicle and they drove off. They were stopped a short distance away and taken into custody for purchase of crack cocaine and tampering with evidence. The man was identified as Hank Croslin, age 41 of Palatka. The woman was identified as Lisa Croslin, age 47 of Palatka. It was found that they were both on felony probation. They were booked into the Putnam County Jail with no bond. At approximately 8 PM, a man drove to the location on a bicycle. He made contact with the officer and purchased crack cocaine. The man was stopped as he began to leave and taken into custody for purchase of crack cocaine. He was identified as Eddie Brown, age 63 of Palatka. He was booked into the Putnam county Jail, bond set at $5004.00 At approximately 10:40 PM a man and woman arrived at the location in a vehicle. The woman exited the vehicle, made contact with the officer and purchased crack cocaine. She got back in the vehicle and they drove off. They were stopped a short distance away and taken into custody for purchase of crack cocaine and tampering with evidence. The woman was identified as Diane White, age 53 of Palatka. The man was identified as Leslie Mann, age 44 of Daytona Beach. They were both booked into the Putnam County Jail, White’s bond at $6008.00 and Mann’s bond at $3508.00. One other arrest took place during the operation. During the operation, a woman came to the residence and began harassing the officers, interfering with the operation. She was identified as Viola Major, age 34 of Palatka. She was arrested for an outstanding warrant, resisting an officer without violence and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was booked into the Putnam County Jail, bond set at $4012.00. Man Reports Being Defrauded by a Mystery Shopper Scam On Monday, June 14th officers took a report from a local man who stated that he was defrauded in a mystery shopper scam. The victim explained that he applied to become a mystery shopper on line. Several days later he received a letter from a company identifying itself as Arista Builders LLC asking that he provide some information. He did so and then a check for $3,995.00 came in the mail. He was instructed to deposit the check in his bank account and mail back a money order for a lesser amount of money. The money order was sent to Spain. After mailing out the money order, the victim learned from his bank that the check he originally deposited was not valid. The Palatka Police Department urges everyone to be very careful and if you are the least bit suspicious of a financial transaction, contact someone you trust to verify that it is legitimate. Man Arrested for Exposing Himself to Persons Driving Past His Home At approximately 1:30 PM, Monday, June 14th officers arrested a local man identified as Devon Brown age 22 for Lewd and Lascivious Acts. According to the report, officers first responded to the 800 block of Oak Street at approximately 8:45 AM, Monday because of a man exposing his sexual organs in full view of people while they drove by a house in that area. Officer Scott Mast responded first and saw a subject matching the description given, but the suspect ran and avoided capture. Later in the day, around 1:15 PM officers were dispatched again to the same area due to another caller reporting a man exposing his sexual organs in full view of persons in the area. Officers saw the suspect near the front porch of a residence as they arrived. The suspect ran, but officers located him approximately one block away. Devon Brown was charged with three (3) counts of exposing his sexual organs in public and one count of providing a false name. Citizens Chase Down and Capture Purse Snatcher At approximately 10:57 PM, Friday June 11th, a 41 year old woman exited Walmart and started putting her groceries in her car. As she was doing this, a man came up behind her and snatched her purse from her shopping cart. The man ran toward State Road 19. Several people in the parking lot heard the woman yell for the man to stop and noticed the suspect running. Two men and one juvenile ran after the man. The juvenile, identified as Nicholos Johnson, age 17 saw the man throw the purse as he fled. Johnson located the purse and returned it to the woman. All three of the men continued to chase the suspect. The other two, identified as Milton Tyre, age 18 and Gene Sanders, age 30 were able to catch the suspect after a short chase. The two men held the man until officers arrived and took custody of him. The suspect was identified as John R. Wyche, age 41 of Palatka. Wyche was arrested by Officer Luke Hughes for Grand Theft and booked into the Putnam County Jail. No one was injured during the incident. The Palatka Police Department thanks the three men for their concern and quick response.
May 14, 2010 April 15, 2010 Two Men Arrested for Home Invasion Robbery that Occurred in July of 2009 On July 26th, 2009 shortly after midnight two men reportedly broke into an occupied home located at 218 Redbud Lane. It was reported that one of the men was armed with a shotgun and the other was reportedly carrying a handgun. The men tied up a woman, her daughter and a friend of the daughter. They reportedly stole money and prescription drugs from the house. At the time of the investigation, possible suspects were identified, but no arrests were made. Since the time of the incident, Detective Mike Meredith of the Palatka Police Department has been conducting a follow-up investigation. During the past months information has been gathered that implicated two men. On Wednesday, April 14th Detective Meredith obtained warrants for the arrest of two suspects, Michael Cooper, age 24 of San Mateo and Aaron Cark, age 26 of Palatka. On Wednesday, April 14th, Detective Meredith located the men and took them into custody. They were both booked into the Putnam County Jail with no bond. April 14, 2010 Man Arrested After Threatening Wife and Shooting Gun At approximately 2:35 AM, Thursday morning officers were called to a residence in the 100 block of Fernwood Street due to gun shots. Officers met with an Elkton woman at the given address. The woman explained that she was awakened by gun shots. She suspected that it was her estranged husband, Antonio Adams, age 26 of Elkton. She explained that they had been separated for a short time and he had been threatening her and stalking her for the past few days. It was learned that a disturbance occurred earlier on Wednesday afternoon at a local restaurant when Adams came there to harass the woman. The woman stated that he was possibly in a Checker Cab because that was how he got to town earlier that day. Officers checked the area. They spoke with other residents in the area that reported hearing gun shots. They located approximately fourteen (14) shell casings near the residence and one (1) suspected bullet hole in the victim’s vehicle. The Checker Cab Company was contacted and reported that they did have a cab in Palatka and that it was travelling back to St. Augustine. Contact was made with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and St. Augustine Police Department requesting assistance in locating the taxi cab and Antonio Adams. A short time later, St. Augustine Police Department personnel located the taxi cab and the suspect near US 1 in St. Augustine. Adams was found in possession of handgun. He was arrested by St. Augustine PD for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The case is being investigated by Detective Danette Evey of the Palatka Police Department. Charges are being filed and warrants will be sought on Antonio Adams for Aggravated Assault and unlawful discharging of a firearm. At this time, Adams is being held in St. Johns County Jail with no bond. April 13, 2010 Two Juveniles Caught Burglarizing Vehicles At approximately 12:29 AM, Tuesday, April 13th a resident in the area of 600 North 10th Street called to report seeing two suspects entering vehicles parked near his house. Officers of the Palatka Police Department responded and located two juveniles near the area. Upon seeing the officers, one of the juveniles fled. Corporal Jared Guy pursued the suspect into a wooded area and captured him. That suspect was identified as Hi’Keem Boles, age 15 of Palatka. The second suspect, Michael McCloud, age 15 of Palatka was taken into custody by Sgt. Brian Hawkins of the Palatka Police Department. The investigation revealed that the two suspects had entered at least two vehicles and stolen property (clothing) from one of them. The property stolen was recovered by the officers. McCloud was charged with Burglary of a Conveyance, Theft and Possession of Burglary Tools. Boles was charged with Burglary of a Conveyance, Theft, Possession of Burglary Tools and Resisting Arrest without Violence. McCloud was turned over to Juvenile Justice authorities. Boles was released to a guardian. April 13, 2010 70 Year Old Man Robbed at Home According to a report by Officer Chris Ashley of the Palatka Police Department, a 70 year old resident in the 1700 block of Napoleon reported that he was robbed at gunpoint in his home at approximately 1:39 AM, Tuesday, April 13th. The man reported that he was awakened by a knock at his door around 1:39 AM. When he answered the door, three unidentified black males forced their way in. One of the suspects had a silver handgun. They threatened him with the gun and took cash from his home. They also stole a 32 inch flat screen television. The resident was not harmed during the incident. The suspects were all described as black males about 5 feet 8 inches tall and slender built. The first was wearing dark colored jogging pants with a stripe down the side, a t-shirt and a black baseball cap. The second suspect was described as wearing a t-shirt, beige pants and having dreadlocks tied up on his head. The third suspect was described as wearing a t-shirt, beige pants and having a short hair cut. A search of the area was conducted by officers, but no suspects were located. April 8, 2010
Woman arrested for forging and
uttering 15 stolen checks, boyfriend arrested on outstanding warrants During the investigation it was learned that George’s current boyfriend was a man named Timothy Wayne Hughes, age 35 of Palatka. It was also learned that he had outstanding warrants from Clay County. The warrants were for a writ of bodily attachment and a lewd and lascivious battery charge, bond set at $250.003.00. Hughes was located by Officer Mike Knowles on April 8th and arrested on the outstanding warrants. He was booked into the Putnam County Jail. March 27, 2010 Underage Alcohol Sales Detail Conducted On Friday March 26, 2010 detectives of the Palatka Police Department conducted a detail for underage alcohol sales at local businesses. The following businesses made sales to an underage, undercover agent:
EZ food Mart - 623 Reid Street The clerks who made the sales were charged with Sale of Alcohol to a Person Under the Age of 21 and issued Notices to Appear. March 12, 2010 Fight Involving Large Crowd Leads to the Arrest of One Man for Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon At approximately 6:15 PM, officers were called to the 1600 block of Washington Street in reference to a fight involving a large crowd. Officers dispersed a large crowd and gathered information as to what occurred. According to witnesses, several females got into an argument that turned into a fight. While the fight was occurring, a man, Hezikiah Myles, age 19 of Palatka was attacked by two other men. One of the men, identified as Felton Kemp, Jr. cut Myles with a knife. Officers located the victim, Myles at the Putnam Community Hospital and found that he did have a cut to his forehead. The suspect Kemp, age 21 was located a short time later and placed under arrest for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was booked into the Putnam County Jail, bond set at $2,504.00. The second man involved, Eddie Brown, age 31 of Palatka reportedly struck Myles with his fist. He was not located at that the time of this report. A charging affidavit was forwarded charging him with battery. This fight between the females is suspected of being related to past altercations involving some of the same individuals. A case of interest was the shooting case involving several people at 702 North 19th Street on December 4, 2009. The investigation into that case resulted in several arrests. March 12, 2010 Several Suspects Arrested with Drugs and Guns On Thursday, March 11th, during the evening hours a drug investigation took place after the purchase of cannabis from an apartment located at 803 North 15th Street in Palatka. A suspect identified as Jarvis Wingo was identified as the seller of illegal narcotics from that location. While working to secure a search warrant for the property, Wingo was observed leaving the apartment with several other people. The vehicle was stopped and the occupants detained. A second vehicle left the residence a short time later. It was also stopped and the occupants detained. The apartment was then secured and the search warrant executed a short time later. The following individuals were arrested in connection with this drug investigation at 803 North 15th Street Apt. B-130. Three (3) handguns, 218 Roxycodone pills, a television, and approximately 50 grams of marijuana were seized.
March 5, 2010 Two Palatka Men Accused of Kidnapping a Gainesville Woman At approximately 9 PM, Thursday, March 4th Sgt. Scott Reinhold of the Palatka Police Department was contacted by family members of a 21 year old Gainesville woman that had been missing since the previous night. According to the family members, the woman was in Palatka with two men Wednesday night and Thursday morning. She was in the company of another Gainesville woman who reported that she left the group around midnight the night before. Officers began attempting to gather additional information from the second woman (witness) and attempting to identify the men they had been with. The officers eventually learned that the women had met the men at a local hotel, the Moorings, located at Crystal cove for a party. When they tried to leave, one of the men reportedly refused to let them leave. According to the woman (witness), the man had a gun and threatened them with it. The one woman (witness) was able to run from the room and tried to get help from employees of the hotel. When she returned to the room, the men and the other woman were gone. She returned to Gainesville, but did not relay the entire story to the family of the abducted woman. The family became concerned when they could not reach the woman throughout the day and finally attempted to report her missing in Alachua County and came to Palatka to look for her. The witness gave the officers street names for the men they had been with. The officers were able to identify possible suspects based on those names and began searching for the suspects. At approximately 4:30 AM, Friday morning officers located the two men at another local hotel, the Economy Inn, located on Highway 17 and made contact with them. They located the missing woman in the room with the men. The men were identified as Wilbert Evins, age 18 of Palatka and Dominic Seymour, age 18 of Palatka. Officers detained the men and questioned the woman. She accused the men of holding her against her will. Officers also located approximately 1 and ½ pounds of suspected cannabis in the hotel room. Evins and Seymour were both booked into the Putnam County Jail for Kidnapping, Possession of Cannabis over 20 grams and Possession of Cannabis with intent to sell. Evins was also charged with Aggravated Assault. The woman who reported being abducted was returned to her family. March 3, 2010 (Update) On February 19th we reported that an unidentified man attempted to rob the Quality Inn located at 201 North 1st Street. The photos attached are of the suspect during the commission of the attempted robbery. If anyone has information in reference to the suspects’ identity, please contact Detective Danette Evey of the Palatka Police Department at 329-0115. Information can also be left on the Crime Tip Hotline 329-0170.
March 1, 2010 The City of Palatka has launched a new Community Information Service The City of Palatka has launched a new Community Information Service designed to deliver important and timely information to residents in our area using the latest technology. Residents of Palatka can now take advantage of Nixle! Nixle is a community information service that alerts you to public safety threats and community events via web, email and cell phone. Sign up at www.nixle.com to register. Register now and learn more at www.nixle.com. Then share this new service with friends and neighbors to spread the word! For additional information, citizens may contact Mylinh Reeves of the Palatka Police Department at 329-0115. From Chief of Police Gary Getchell The City of Palatka Police Department has launched this new Community Notification Service called this week to improve communication with people who live, work, and visit our area. The system provides a quick, efficient, and secure way to get neighborhood-level information out to community members who subscribe to the system. Through www.nixle.com, the department will be able to send text message (SMS) and e-mail alerts to subscribers in a specific area, down to .25 miles. Notifications might be considered in the following instances:
Through Nixle, we will deliver messages securely to citizens by e-mail and cell phone, supporting and expanding our community outreach efforts. Obviously, the system will be most effective when we have large numbers of subscribers. Please spread the word about our use of the system and add this information to the bottom of your e-mail signature: “Up-to-the-minute updates from city agencies by e-mail and cell phone www.nixle.com”. Nixle is a secure communications service available to municipal, county, and state government agencies. There is NO spam or advertising associated with Nixle Municipal Wire messages. The system is available at no cost (standard text message rates apply for subscribers who do not have text plans with their cell phone providers). About Nixle Nixle is a new community information service provider built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. Its authenticated service connects municipal agencies and community organizations to residents in real time, delivering information to geographically targeted consumers over their cell phones (via text messages), through emails and through web access. Nixle is offered at no cost to all governments, their agencies and organizations nongovernmental organizations and consumers. Craig Mitnick, the founder and CEO of Nixle, said Nixle differs from current services such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, which provide unauthenticated platforms for connections. Nixle solves that problem by providing a single standardized service for consumers to receive immediate and credible neighborhood-level public safety and community information. Nixle is a first-of-its-kind tool for communities that need to provide critical information to their residents. Residents of Palatka can rest easy that the local messages they receive are authentic. February 19, 2010 Palatka Police Athletic League On February 20, 2010 the Palatka Police Athletic League will be hosting the State of Florida Police Athletic League’s Region 6 basketball tournament at Beasley Middle School. The tournament will start at 10am. There will be teams from Tallahassee and Jacksonville competing against Palatka for the right to represent Region 6 in the Florida Police Athletic League’s State Tournament in Orlando Florida. Palatka will have a 10/under boys, 12/under boys and girls, 14/under boys and girls basketball teams participating in the Region 6 PAL Basketball Tournament. The SFAPAL State Tournament will be held in Orlando FL, at Walt Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex April 9th – 11th. For further information, please contact Sgt. Shaw at the above information. February 12, 2010 Underage Alcohol Operation. Ten (10) Cases Made Against Local Businesses. The Palatka Police Department Street Crimes Unit conducted an underage alcohol sales operation on Friday night, February 12th. An underage undercover operative was sent to alcohol sale establishments in the City of Palatka to attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages. The following locations sold alcoholic beverages to the undercover:
The clerk’s responsible for the sales were charged with sale of alcohol to a person under the age of 21 and issued a Notice to Appear for County Court. The owners of the businesses were notified of the charges. January 22, 2010 2 arrested for Prostitution During the evening hours of Thursday, January 21st officers of the Palatka Police Department Street Crimes Unit conducted a prostitution detail in Palatka. An undercover officer was utilized to make contact with persons suspected of being involved in prostitution. At approximately 11:25 PM the undercover officer pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store located in the 2000 block of Reid Street. The undercover officer was approached by a male suspect, later identified as Willie Johnson, age 47. Johnson offered to find the undercover officer a girl. Johnson and a female, later identified as Joann Thompson, age 48 entered the vehicle with the undercover officer. The three had a conversation agreeing on a sexual act from the female in exchange for cash payment. After this solicitation, the suspects were detained by the undercover officer and assisting officers of the Palatka Police Department. Both subjects were arrested for solicitation for prostitution. Both suspects were found to have prior convictions for prostitution that elevated the charge to a felony level. They were booked into the Putnam County Jail, bonds set at $1004.00 each. January 10, 2010 Drug Arrests On the afternoon of Friday January 8, 2009 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tri-County Drug Taskforce with assistance from the Palatka Police Department Street Crimes Unit and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office Drug Unit conducted a drug investigation into the illegal distribution of roxycodone within Palatka. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Lee Latrill Hall age 24 of Palatka and Ceazer Bullard age 49 of Palatka. Investigators stopped a vehicle occupied by Hall and Bullard and found a large amount of roxycodone and suspected crack cocaine. The roxycodone was approximately 61 grams (480) pills, street value of $12,600.00 and the crack cocaine was in excess of 51 grams, street value in excess of $4,000.00. Hall was charged with trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in roxycodone , fleeing and attempting to elude and driving on a suspended drivers license. Bullard was charged with trafficking in cocaine and trafficking in roxycodone. Both were held at the Putnam County Jail with no bond. January 8, 2010 Black Bear Seen In The City Limits Over the past several weeks, the Palatka Police Department and other City of Palatka staff have received numerous complaints of a bear roaming a south side neighborhood area. The bear has been seen on at least two occasions by city employees. On both occasions the bear has been seen in the area of South 12th Street, south of River Street during the late night, early morning hours. The City of Palatka wishes to advise the citizens of this and offer some advice in reference to safety and precautions to try and keep the bear away from your property.
January 7, 2010 Suspect Arrested For Two Burglaries At approximately 7:30 AM, Wednesday, January 6th a suspect broke into the Beck Chrysler offices located on Highway 17 North. The suspect stole some collectors edition watches, a laptop computer, several keys to vehicles and a 2003 Chrysler Town and Country van, red in color. The suspect was seen leaving the business by an employee who had just come to work. The employee described the suspect as a black male, 30 to 40 years of age, wearing a black skull cap, dark jacket and gray sweat pants. Officers followed up on that case throughout the day, but no leads were developed. The property stolen has not been recovered. At approximately 5:40 AM, Thursday, January 7th officers responded to an alarm call at a business located at 114 North 19th Street indicating a burglary in progress. Officers arrived and found that a front window to the business had been broken out. They began searching the business and the surrounding area. Sgt. Cornell Brown located a suspect identifying himself as Melvin Homes a few blocks from the business. The suspect was found in possession of a rolling garbage can. The garbage can contained a large quantity of merchandise that was found to have been taken from the store. According to the investigating officer, Tom Tipton, the suspect was arrested for Burglary of a Structure, Grand Theft and Criminal Mischief. The officers noted that the subject matched the description of the suspect from the burglary and theft at Beck’s on the previous day. The officers made contact with the witness from Becks and Bezell was positively identified as the suspect seen at Becks. While officers conducted the follow-up investigation, they requested and received an identity check through the Putnam County Jail. The suspect was identified as Micron Bezell through a fingerprint comparison. Bezell was charged with Burglary of a Structure, Grand Theft and Criminal Mischief in reference to the incident at Beck’s. He was also charged with Resisting Arrest without violence for providing false information as to his identity. Bezell is also a suspect in other crimes that have occurred recently. The Palatka Police Department is attempting to locate additional information on him. His place of residence and associates are not known. If anyone has information on Bezell, please contact the Palatka Police Department at 329-0115. All information will be kept confidential. |
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