| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: rICHEY, JONATHAN 0678 (AR09111227) DID THEN AND THERE ENGAGE IN A SCHEME OR OPERATION OF FRAUD OR MISREPRESENTATION, WHEREBY THE SAID DEFENDANTS OBTAINED PROPERTY OF AN AGGREGATE VALUE OF LESS THAN TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000) FROM ONE OR MORE PERSONS, TO-WIT: THE DEFENDANT DID IN FACT FRAUD WALMART COMPANY $480.00 BY ADDING MONEY TO HIS WALMART GIFT CARD, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 817.034(4)(A)(3). ON 100109, AT APPROXIMATELY 1255 HOURS, I RESPONDED TO WALMART, ON EAST GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY, IN INVERNESS, IN REFERENCE TO A FRAUD THAT HAD ALREADY OCCURRED. UPON MY ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH APC, MR STEPHEN ARNOLD, WHO ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD PUT TOGETHER A CASE WHERE THE DEFENDANT/EMPLOYEE HAD ADDED VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO A WALMART GIFT CARD DURING HIS WORK SHIFT. ARNOLD WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH A DVD THAT DISPLAYED NINE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OF THE DEFENDANT ADDING THE MONEY TO THE CARD AT HIS ASSIGNED REGISTER IN THE GARDEN CENTER. HE WAS THEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE HARD COPY TRANSACTIONS LISTING THE FOLLOWING DATES AND AMOUNTS APPLIED TO THE GIFT CARD, NUMBER 60499928213798056: ON 091509 $50.00, ON 091609 $10.00, ON 091709 $50.00, ON 092109 $50.00, ON 092309 $50.00, ON 092309 $20.00, ON 092309 $50.00, ON 092409 $50.00, ON092409 $50.00, 092609 $50.00, 092709 $50.00, TOTALING $480.00 MR ARNOLD WAS THEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH A COMPLETED STATEMENT FROM THE DEFENDANT STATING, "I CHRISTOPHER LOADED A SHOPPING CARD ABOUT TEN TIMES. I WAS DOING THIS I HAVE TWO LITTLE GIRLS SIX AND FOUR. I WAS USING THE MONEY FOR GAS AND FOOD. I AM SORRY FOR WHAT I DID." I ISSUED MR ARNOLD A PROPERTY RECEIPT FOR THE ITEMS I TOOK INTO CUSTODY. MR ARNOLD THEN ESCORTED ME TO THE REAR OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE DEFENDANT WAS WAITING. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT WHERE I READ HIM HIS MIRANDA RIGHTS VIA MIRANDA CARD. HE THEN STATED HE UNDERSTOOD HIS RIGHTS AND WISHED TO SPEAK WITH ME ABOUT THE INCIDENT. I THEN ASKED HIM WHY I WAS THERE AND HE STATED BECAUSE HE HAD CHARGED UP HIS WALMART GIFT CARD. THE DEFENDANT THEN STATED THAT HIS WIFE HAD BEEN ARGUING WITH HIM OVER MONEY THEREFORE HE TOOK THIS ACTION TO PLEASE HER. HE STATED HE HAD BEEN DOING THIS FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT WHERE THE GIFT CARD WAS LOCATED AND HE STATED HE GAVE IT TO MR ARNOLD. I THEN RECEIVED THE GIFT CARD FROM MR ARNOLD WHERE I CONFIRMED THE GIFT CARD NUMBER AND PLACED IT ON THE PROPERTY RECEIPT. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE USED THE CARD TO BUY GAS AND FOOD. THE EXACT TRANSACTION DATA WAS SUBMITTED TO RECORDS. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN PLACED UNDER ARREST, HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE LOCKED) IN BACK, PLACED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE, AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANT WAS CHARGED WITH ORGANIZED FRAUD, AND BOND WAS SET AT $2,000.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. ALL ITEMS WERE COLLECTED AND ALL DOCUMENTS WERE PLACED IN TO EVIDENCE. I PROVIDED MR ARNOLD WITH AN AGENCY CASE CARD BEARING MY NAME AND NUMBER AND ASKED HIM TO CONTACT THIS AGENCY WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
