| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED By: SCHAFFER, HEATH 0652 (AR09109311) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, TO-WIT: A 14 KARAT DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RING OF THE VALUE OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000.00), TO WIT: ($7,550.00) WITH THE INTENT TO EITHER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE THE VICTIM OF A RIGHT TO THE PROPERTY OR A BENEFIT THEREOF, OR DID APPROPRIATE THE SAID PROPERTY TO HIS OWN USE OR THE USE OF ANY PERSON NOT ENTITLED THERETO, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTES 812.014. ON 052909 AT 2318 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO 1230 LOWELL STREET, IN INVERNESS, IN REFERENCE TO A THEFT THAT HAD ALREADY occurred. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE VICTIM and the WITNESS, AT WHICH TIME THE VICTIM ADVISED THAT HE WAS MISSING AN ENGAGEMENT RING THAT HE HAD KEPT FROM A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT. I SPOKE WITH THE WITNESS WHO STATED THAT ON 052809 AT 1230 HOURS, SHE AND THE DEFENDANT, MS ASHLEY GERMAN, WERE MOVING SOME BOXES TO THE WITNESS'S NEW APARTMENT. the WITNESS STATED THAT DURING THIS PROCESS, THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TO GO THROUGH OTHER DRAWERS AND CABINETS THROUGHOUT THE RESIDENCE AND CAME ACROSS THE VICTIM'S ENGAGEMENT RING. THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TO TELL THE WITNESS THAT SHE COULD GET a lot OF MONEY FOR THIS, AND THAT SHE should TAKE IT TO A PAWN SHOP. THE WITNESS STATED THAT SHE AND the DEFENDANT DID TAKE THE RING TO COLONIAL PAWN, BUT THEN RETURNED BACK TO THE RESIDENCE AT WHICH TIME THE WITNESS RETURNED THE RING TO ITS ORIGINAL PLACE WHICH WAS IN the CABINET ABOVE THE STOVE. the WITNESS STATED THAT SHE BEGAN TO PACK MORE BOXES, AND THAT THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TO WALK AROUND THE RESIDENCE AND THE WITNESS WAS UNSURE OF WHAT SHE WAS DOING. A SHORT TIME LATER, BOTH THE DEFENDANT AND WITNESS LEFT THE RESIDENCE. when THE VICTIM ARRIVED HOME, HE OBSERVED that the RING WAS MISSING AND THEN QUESTIONED THE WITNESS AT WHICH TIME she STATED THAT THE DEFENDANT MUST HAVE TAKEN IT. BOTH THE VICTIM AND THE WITNESS STATED THAT THEY ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE DEFENDANT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE CALLING the SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUT WERE UNABLE TO DO SO. I THEN HAD THE WITNESS COMPLETE A STATEMENT FORM, which SHE DID, AND WAS LATER TURNED IN TO THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECORDS DEPARTMENT. THE VICTIM WAS PROVIDED WITH AN AGENCY CASE CARD BEARING THE CASE NUMBER AND MY NAME. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE DEFENDANT RESIDES OFF OF CATFISH STREET, IN FLORAL CITY, BUT THAT SHE MIGHT NOT BE HOME. UPON ARRIVAL AT the DEFENDANT'S RESIDENCE ON CATFISH STREET, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AND ASKED IF SHE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT the RING. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT SHE DID SEE THE RING, AND THAT IT MAY HAVE FALLEN DOWN BEHIND THE STOVE IN THE KITCHEN. SHE FURTHER ADVISED that SHE DID NOT HAVE THE RING IN HER POSSESSION. THE DEFENDANT CONTINUED TO DENY EVER TAKING THE RING. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I ADVISED THE DEFENDANT THAT THE VICTIM WAS NOT GOING TO PURSUE CHARGES IF SHE would JUST GIVE BACK THE RING THAT THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TO CRY and STATED, YES SHE DID HAVE THE RING, and that IT WAS INSIDE IN HER JEWELRY BOX. SHE ADVISED THAT SHE ONLY TOOK THE RING BECAUSE THE VICTIM HAD WRITTEN the WITNESS A CHECK and SHE WAS HOLDING IT UNTIL THE CHECK CLEARED. I THEN FOLLOWED THE DEFENDANT INTO THE RESIDENCE, AT WHICH TIME SHE BROUGHT OUT A JEWELRY BOX AND RETRIEVED THE RING. I THEN TOOK THE RING INTO MY POSSESSION. I THEN PLACED THE DEFENDANT UNDER ARREST. I READ HER MIRANDA RIGHTS VIA CARD, AND she STATED that SHE DID UNDERSTAND HER RIGHTS. SHE WAS THEN HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE-LOCKED) BEHIND her BACK and SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I DID CONTACT THE VICTIM TO NOTIFY HIM OF THE RING BEING PLACED IN TO THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE EVIDENCE. THE DEFENDANT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT $2,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
