| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: VIGGIANO, PAUL 0682 (AR 15-13975) (11-169314) DID possess, sell or offer for sale, conceal, or dispose of in this state a motor vehicle or mobile home, or major component part thereof, on which any motor number or vehicle identification number that has been affixed by the manufacturer or by a state agency, such as the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which regulates motor vehicles has been destroyed, removed, covered, altered, or defaced, with knowledge of such destruction, removal, covering, alteration, or defacement IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 319.33 ON 022215, I RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT A STOLEN MOTORCYCLE, DESCRIBED AS A HARLEY DAVIDSON, BLACK IN COLOR, WAS POSSIBLY LOCATED AT THE RESIDENCE AT 2520 SOUTH WOODBINE AVENUE, HOMOSASSA. I RESPONDED TO THE RESIDENCE WHERE CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE HOMEOWNER, MS SUSAN MERSON. MS MERSON PROVIDED THIS DEPUTY WITH WRITTEN CONSENT TO SEARCH THE PROPERTY FOR THE POSSIBLE STOLEN MOTORCYCLE. THE INFORMATION RECEIVED ADVISED THE MOTORCYCLE WAS CONCEALED IN A TENT BEHIND THE RESIDENCE. UPON RESPONDING TO THE BACK OF THE RESIDENCE, I DID OBSERVE A TENT THAT WAS COVERED WITH BRUSH IN AND ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL THE TENT. THE DEFENDANT, MR JAY CONTINO, FOLLOWED THIS DEPUTY TO THE BACK YARD AND OPENED THE TENT. I OBSERVED A FLAT BLACK IN COLOR HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE. I ATTEMPTED TO READ THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) FROM THE MOTORCYCLE; HOWEVER, IT APPEARED THAT SOMEONE HAD ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE FIRST SIX CHARACTERS OF THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WITH AN UNKNOWN OBJECT. WHILE I WAS TRYING TO OBTAIN THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, THE DEFENDANT BEGAN TELLING THIS DEPUTY THAT HE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A MR JOHN BOICE FOR $3,200.00. HE ADVISED HE ONLY HAD A PORTION OF THE MONEY AND WAS MAKING PAYMENTS TO MR BOICE. THE DEFENDANT SPONTANEOUSLY STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS WORKING ON THE MOTORCYCLE, HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER APPEARED TO BE ALTERED. HE ADVISED HE ATTEMPTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH VIA THE INTERNET ON HOW TO OBTAIN THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER TO VERIFY IF IT WAS STOLEN. HE STATED THE MOTORCYCLE WAS DAMAGED FROM AN ACCIDENT WHEN HE PURCHASED IT. HE ADVISED HE KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP WHEN HE OBSERVED THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER HAD BEEN ALTERED. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THE REMAINING PART OF THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, WHICH HAD MATCHED THE NUMBER ON THE STOLEN MOTORCYCLE IN THIS CASE. THE MOTORCYCLE ALSO HAD FLORIDA LICENSE PLATE 1760NF ATTACHED TO IT. THIS LICENSE PLATE WAS REPORTED AS STOLEN REFERENCE CASE NUMBER 2014-167826, ALONG WITH ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THE LICENSE PLATE WAS ALREADY ON THE MOTORCYCLE WHEN HE PURCHASED IT FROM MR BOICE. THE OWNER OF THE MOTORCYCLE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. HE ADVISED THE MOTORCYCLE HAD BEEN ALTERED. HE ADVISED IT HAD BEEN SPRAY PAINTED FLAT BLACK, THE HANDLEBARS WERE FLIPPED AROUND, AND THE SPOKES OF THE WHEELS HAD BEEN PAINTED FLAT BLACK. THE OWNER ADVISED THE REAR FENDER HAD BEEN CUT, A SUPERMAN EMBLEM HAD BEEN ADDED, AND THE SIGNALS HAD BEEN PAINTED. HE FURTHER ADVISED THE AIR CLEANER PLAQUE HAD BEEN REMOVED, THERE WERE RED AND WHITE DECALS ADDED, THERE WAS A NEW DENT IN THE TANK, AND A SKULL AND CROSSBONES EMBLEM HAD BEEN GLUED TO THE TANK. THE OWNER ADVISED IT COMPLETELY CHANGED THE LOOK OF THE MOTORCYCLE. INSIDE THE TENT THERE WERE SEVERAL CANS OF SPRAY PAINT AND STEEL WOOL. IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER MAY HAVE BEEN ALTERED WITH AN ABRASIVE SUBSTANCE SUCH AS STEEL WOOL. I ADVISED THE DEFENDANT THAT DUE TO HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER BEING ALTERED, HE WAS BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR POSSESSION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH AN ALTERED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND HIS BACK AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY BY DEPUTY HESSE (0755) FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANTâS BOND WAS SET AT $2,000.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. |
