| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: GREATREX, ROBERT 0287 (AR13-4845) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN OR USE, OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, LIBERTY TAX SERVICE, TO WIT: CASH, SAID PROPERTY BEING OF A VALUE OF $800.00, 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 STATE STATUTES 812.014(1) and 812.014(3)(a). ON 031413, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 HOURS, I CONDUCTED A FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION TO THIS REPORT. ON 030513, DEPUTY MULLINS WAS DISPATCHED TO LIBERTY TAX SERVICE, LOCATED AT 1470 NORTH US HIGHWAY 41 IN INVERNESS. UPON DEPUTY MULLINS ARRIVING, HE MADE CONTACT with the COMPLAINANT, MR MICHAEL KENNEDY. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED DEPUTY MULLINS THAT HE WAS THE MANAGER OF LIBERTY TAX SERVICE AND UPON CLOSING THE BUSINESS HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS $450.00 IN CASH MISSING FROM THE OFFICE FILE CABINET LOCATED IN THE BACK OF THE STORE WHERE ONLY EMPLOYEES ARE ALLOWED TO BE. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT THIS LARGE SUM OF MONEY IS IN THE FILE CABINET TO PAY CUSTOMERS FOR NEW CUSTOMER REFERRALS. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT HE AND ANOTHER ACCOUNTANT ALONG WITH A SIGN WAIVER WERE THE ONLY EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE AT THE TIME THE MONEY CAME UP MISSING. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT HE HAD WORKED FOR LIBERTY TAX SERVICE FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVEN YEARS AND THE OTHER ACCOUNTANT WAS A TRUSTED FRIEND OF HIS AND HE BELIEVED THE SUSPECT TO BE MR JUSTIN HARPER, WHO IS THE SIGN WAIVER. AFTER THE COMPLAINANT FILED THIS REPORT I MADE CONTACT WITH THE COMPLAINANT ON 030613, AT LIBERTY TAX SERVICE. THE COMPLAINANT BRIEFLY ADVISED ME WHAT TOOK PLACE WHEN THE $450.00 CAME UP MISSING. HE THEN ADVISED THAT ON 022613, AN ADDITIONAL $350.00 IN CASH WAS DISCOVERED MISSING from the SAME FILE CABINET. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT HE DID NOT REPORT THIS INCIDENT BUT ONCE AGAIN ONLY HIMSELF, ANOTHER ACCOUNTANT, AND THE SUSPECT WERE THE ONES WORKING on the DAY THE MONEY CAME UP MISSING. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT HE AND THE OTHER ACCOUNTANT DO GET VERY BUSY AND THE SIGN WAIVER/SUSPECT IS ENTITLED TO A BREAK, SO SOMETIME BETWEEN HIS BREAK AND WHEN THE OFFICE WAS BUSY IS WHEN HE BELIEVED THE SUSPECT TOOK THE MONEY. AFTER GATHERING THIS INFORMATION, I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE SUSPECT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. ON 031413, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 HOURS, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE SUSPECT AT 40 NORTH WEST AVENUE IN INVERNESS. UPON MAKING CONTACT WITH THE SUSPECT, I ADVISED HIM I WAS INVESTIGATING THIS CASE. AT THAT TIME, THE SUSPECT DID ADMIT AND STATED THAT HE TOOK MONEY FROM LIBERTY TAX SERVICE TO HELP SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. HE ADMITTED TO TAKING MONEY FROM THE LIBERTY TAX SERVICE FILE CABINET ON TWO separate OCCASIONS, WHICH DID TOTAL $800.00. AT THAT TIME, I HAD THE SUSPECT WRITE OUT A SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT. HE WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY, WHERE HIS BOND WAS SET AT $2,000.00. |
