| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: HINDERHOFER, EDWARD 0667 (12-77445) (AR12-899) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, PUBLIX, TO-WIT: $750.00 IN CASH WHICH IS THE VALUE OF THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($300.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00), 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 HER OWN USE OR THE USE OF ANY PERSON NOT ENTITLED THERETO, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTES 812.014(2)(C)(1). DID THEN AND THERE UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY UTTER AND PUBLISH AS TRUE CERTAIN FALSE, ALTERED OR FORGED WRITTEN ORDERS FOR MONEY, TO PUBLIX, TO WIT: THREE CHECKS PAYABLE TO KAREN TURITTO DRAWN ON THE BANK OF AMERICA TOTALING $750.00, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT SAID WRITTEN ORDERS FOR MONEY WERE FALSE, ALTERED OR FORGED, SAID CHECKS BEING PASSED WITH THE INTENT THEN AND THERE TO INJURE AND DEFRAUD MS LORRAINE CASTLE, PUBLIX SUPERMARKET, AND THE BANK OF AMERICA, AND DIVERSE OTHER PERSONS TO THE STATE ATTORNEY UNKNOWN, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 831.09. ON 042612 AT APPROXIMATELY 1145 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO THE PUBLIX LOCATED AT 2685 NORTH FOREST RIDGE BOULEVARD IN HERNANDO IN REFERENCE TO A FRAUD THAT HAD ALREADY OCCURRED. UPON ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE COMPLAINANT/MANAGER, MS AMANDA SEMINARIO, WHO ADVISED THAT SHE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA STATING THAT THREE CHECKS THEIR STORE HAD CASHED WERE FORGED. I REVIEWED THE COPIES OF THE CHECKS WHICH BELONGED TO A BUSINESS NAMED VERTICAL BLINDS OF HOMOSASSA INC LOCATED AT 5454 SOUTH SUNCOAST BOULEVARD IN HOMOSASSA. THE CHECKS WERE WRITTEN TO KAREN TURITTO AND APPEARED TO BE SIGNED BY LORRAINE CASTLE. ALL THREE CHECKS WERE IN THE AMOUNT OF $250.0 AND WERE CASHED ON THREE SEPARATE DATES TOTALING $750.00. CHECK NUMBER 8575 WAS DATED 121411 AND WAS CASHED ON 122311, CHECK NUMBER 8599 WAS DATED 012012 AND WAS CASHED ON 012112, CHECK NUMBER 8621 WAS DATED 022112 AND CASHED ON 022512. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUSPECT USED HER OWN DRIVER'S LICENSE WHEN SHE CASHED THE CHECKS AND THAT PUBLIX CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL OBTAINED THE DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER WHICH WAS PRINTED ON THE CHECKS THE SUSPECT HAD CASHED. I THEN REVIEWED THE SECURITY FOOTAGE FOR 012112, 022512, AND COMPARED THE SUBJECT CASHING THE CHECKS WITH THE DRIVER'S LICENSE PHOTOGRAPH IN DRIVER AND VEHICLE INFORMATION DATABASE FOR MS KAREN TURITTO AND IT APPEARED TO BE A MATCH. I THEN CONTACTED THE OWNER OF VERTICAL BLINDS, MS LORRAINE CASTLE, WHO ADVISED THAT MS TURITTO WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF HER UNTIL APRIL 2012 WHEN SHE DETERMINED THAT MS TURITTO WAS POSSIBLY COMMITTING FRAUD ON THE COMPANY. MS CASTLE ADVISED THAT SHE ALREADY HAD AN OPEN CASE WITH DEPUTY STOKES 0736 REFERENCE THE FRAUD, SEE CASE 2012-67202. MS CASTLE ADVISED THAT MS TURITTO NEVER HAD PERMISSION TO WRITE CHECKS, BUT SHE DID PAY BILLS FOR THE COMPANY ON-LINE. MS CASTLE ADVISED THAT IF MS TURITTO DID HAVE TO WRITE A CHECK, MS CASTLE WOULD HAVE SIGNED THEM HERSELF. SHE ADVISED THAT THESE CHECKS, WHICH WERE WRITTEN AND CASHED AT PUBLIX, WERE LISTED IN A LOG BOOK AS BEING VOIDED. SHE ALSO ADVISED THAT SHE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE CHECKS FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SIGNATURE ON THE CHECKS WAS NOT HER OWN. I THEN RESPONDED TO MS TURITTOâS ADDRESS AT 404 EAST JINNITA STREET IN HERNANDO, MADE CONTACT WITH HER AND IMMEDIATELY READ HER MIRANDA VIA PREPRINTED AGENCY CARD AND ASKED IF SHE UNDERSTOOD HER RIGHTS AND IF SHE WISHED TO SPEAK WITH ME, TO WHICH SHE ADVISED THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD HER RIGHTS AND WOULD NOT SPEAK WITH ME AT THIS TIME. THE DEFENDANT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST. PRIOR TO BEING HANDCUFFED SHE WHISPERED SOMETHING TO HER HUSBAND ABOUT BEING ARRESTED. BOTH HER AND HER HUSBAND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE SURPRISED, NOR DID EITHER OF THEM ASK WHY SHE WAS BEING ARRESTED. THE SUSPECT WAS THEN HANDCUFFED, BEHIND HER BACK, (DOUBLE LOCKED), SECURED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT A TOTAL OF $4,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. COPIES OF THE CHECKS AND BANK LETTER AS WELL AS COPIES OF THE SECURITY FOOTAGE WERE LATER TURNED IN TO EVIDENCE. THE MANAGER OF PUBLIX WAS GIVEN A COPY OF THE PROPERTY RECEIPT AND AN AGENCY ISSUED CASE CARD BEARING THIS CASE NUMBER AND MY IDENTIFICATION AND ADVISED THEM TO CONTACT THIS AGENCY WITH ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CASE. NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN AT THIS TIME. |
