| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: STRICKLAND, DALE 0276 (AR14-8748) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, TO-WIT: LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL, OF THE VALUE OF THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($300.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00), TO WIT: A LARGE STATUE OF A PANTHER HEAD, 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(2)(C)(1); DID UNLAWFULLY, WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY INJURE OR DAMAGE CERTAIN PROPERTY OF LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL, TO-WIT: REMOVING THE HEAD OF THE PANTHER STATUE, BREAKING IT OFF, SAID DAMAGE BEING OF A VALUE OF BETWEEN TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) OR ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000.00), IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 806.13(1)(B)(2); DID UNLAWFULLY ENTER OR REMAIN UPON THE CAMPUS OF THE LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL, A PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITY, LOCATED AT 3810 WEST EDUCATIONAL PATH, LECANTO, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 810.097; DID UNLAWFULLY RESIST, OBSTRUCT OR OPPOSE DETECTIVE STRICKLAND, WHO WAS THEN AND THERE IN THE LAWFUL EXECUTION OF A LEGAL DUTY, OR EXECUTION OF LEGAL PROCESS, TO WIT: THE DEFENDANT PULLED AWAY FROM THIS DETECTIVE WHILE HE WAS BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST, WITHOUT OFFERING OR DOING VIOLENCE TO THE PERSON OF SUCH OFFICER, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 843.02; ON 121713 THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TOOK A REPORT OF STOLEN PROPERTY IN REFERENCE TO A STATUE ON A PANTHER HEAD, WHICH HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM THE LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL PROPERTY SOMETIME IN SUMMER OF 2013. IT WAS REPORTED TO DEPUTY HUGHES THAT THE STATUE OF THE PANTHER HEAD HAD BEEN FOUND IN THE BACK OF THE COMPLAINANTâS SHED. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED DEPUTY HUGHES THAT HE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR HIS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WHEN HE DISCOVERED THE PANTHER HEAD. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT HE REMEMBERED HEARING SOMETHING ABOUT THE PANTHER HEAD BEING TAKEN FROM THE LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL. DEPUTY HUGHES HAD CONTACTED THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL, DEPUTY WEAKS. DEPUTY WEAKS ADVISED DEPUTY HUGHES THAT THE STATUE HEAD HAD BEEN TAKEN OVER THE SUMMER, BUT HAD NOT BEEN REPORTED AS STOLEN. SCHOOL STAFF WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY ADVISED THAT IF THERE WAS A SUSPECT TO THE CRIME AND THE PROPERTY WAS FOUND, THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROSECUTE. THE VALUE OF THE PANTHER WAS $800.00. THE PANTHER HEAD WAS TAKEN IN TO CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CUSTODY, AND LATER SUBMITTED TO EVIDENCE. THE COMPLAINANT STATED TO DEPUTY HUGHES THAT THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD HAVE BROUGHT THE PANTHER HEAD TO HIS HOME WOULD BE THE DEFENDANT, MR BENJAMIN JAMES BUSBY, WHO WAS HIS DAUGHTERâS BOYFRIEND. THE DEFENDANT WAS LIVING AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE COMPLAINANT AT THIS TIME. THE COMPLAINANT ALSO ADVISED THAT HE HAD HEARD THE DEFENDANT MENTIONING POSSIBLY TAKING THE PANTHER HEAD FROM LECANTO HIGH SCHOOL, AND ALSO HAVING OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH HIM. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THE NAME OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS POSSIBLY INVOLVED. ON 011414 THIS DETECTIVE MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AT HIS PLACE OF WORK, HARDEEâS RESTAURANT IN HOMOSASSA. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH HIM, AND AS THE DEFENDANT AND I SAT AT THE TABLE, I ADVISED HIM OF MY INVESTIGATION. I ASKED HIM HOW THE PANTHER HAD GOT IN TO THE SHED. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT SOME FRIENDS BROUGHT IT TO HIM TO HOLD ON TO, AND ADVISED THAT HE HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT IT AFTER THAT. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT WHO THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WERE WHO WERE WITH HIM AT THE TIME, AND HE STATED THAT HE WOULD RATHER NOT DISCLOSE THEIR NAMES. I ADVISED THE DEFENDANT THAT THINGS COULD BE WORKED OUT IF HE CONTACTED HIS FRIENDS, AND WE ALL SAT DOWN THE FOLLOWING DAY TO DISCUSS WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE WOULD DO SO. THE DEFENDANT WAS PROVIDED WITH MY CARD AND CELLULAR TELEPHONE NUMBER, IN ORDER FOR HIM TO CONTACT ME. ON 011514, I WAITED FOR THE DEFENDANT TO CONTACT ME, BUT HE NEVER CALLED. ON 011614, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AT HIS PLACE OF WORK ONCE MORE AT THE HARDEEâS IN HOMOSASSA. AS WE ARRIVED OUTSIDE OF THE RESTAURANT, I ASKED THE DEFENDANT WHY HE HAD NOT CONTACTED ME, AND HE ADVISED THAT HE THOUGHT WE WERE FINISHED. I ADVISED HIM THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, AND THAT THE HAD BEEN SUPPOSED TO CONTACT HIS FRIENDS AND TALK IT OVER ON HOW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK THIS OUT. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHO HAD TAKEN THE PANTHER HEAD. I REMINDED HIM THAT HE HAD TOLD ME THAT HE WAS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD DONE SO. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT HE HAD NEVER DONE SO. THE DEFENDANT ALSO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING FOR US TO TALK ABOUT ANY MORE. I THEN INFORMED THE DEFENDANT THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE GOING TO JAIL TODAY, AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO LET HIS SUPERVISOR KNOW THAT WE WERE LEAVING. AS I WAS CONTINUING TO SPEAK WITH THE DEFENDANT, HE TURNED TO WALK AWAY. I REACHED OVER AND CASUALLY GRABBED THE DEFENDANTâS FOREARM, AND SAID, âHOLD ON A MINUTE.â THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TO WRENCH HIS ARM, AND PUSH AWAY FROM THIS DETECTIVE. THIS DETECTIVE THEN PLACED THE DEFENDANTâS LEFT ARM BEHIND HIS BACK. THE DEFENDANT WAS PUSHED AGAINST THE WALL FOR CONTROL AND HANDCUFFED. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN TAKEN TO MY PATROL VEHICLE, WHERE HE WAS PATTED DOWN FOR A SECURITY SEARCH. HE WAS PLACED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE, AND SECURED. THIS DETECTIVE THEN INFORMED HARDEEâS STAFF THAT THE DEFENDANT WOULD NOT BE RETURNING TO WORK TODAY. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY, FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. HE WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF GRAND THEFT IN THE AMOUNT OF BETWEEN $300.00 AND $5,000.00, ONE COUNT OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF WITH DAMAGE BETWEEN $200.00 AND $1,000.00, ONE COUNT OF TRESPASSING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, AND ONE COUNT OF RESISTING AN OFFICER WITHOUT VIOLENCE. THE DEFENDANTâS BOND WAS SET AT A TOTAL OF $6,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. |
