| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: TULLY, JAMES 1342 (AR14-13191) DID UNLAWFULLY ENTER OR REMAIN IN A CERTAIN STRUCTURE OR CURTILAGE THEREOF, TO-WIT: A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE, LOCATED AT 2197 WEST JANZIN LANE, IN LECANTO, IN THE COUNTY AND STATE AFORESAID, THE PROPERTY OF MR ELLIS ROBERTS, WITHOUT SAID PERSON'S CONSENT, WITH THE INTENT TO COMMIT AN OFFENSE THEREIN, TO-WIT: GRAND THEFT AND BECAME ARMED WITH MULTIPLE FIREARMS FROM THE OWNER, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 810.02(2)(B). DID KNOWINGLY OBTAIN OR USE, OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE, THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM: MR ELLIS ROBERTS, TO WIT: A WINCHESTER .30-06, BOLT ACTION RIFLE, WITH A FOUR BY EIGHT SCOPE ON IT, A WINCHESTER .30-.30, LEVER ACTION RIFLE, A ITHACA 12 GAUGE, PUMP ACTION SHOT GUN, A GLENFIELD, MODEL 10, .22 CALIBER RIFLE, AND A RUGER, .357 BLACK HAWK REVOLVER, WITH THE INTENT TO PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY DEPRIVE THE VICTIM OF THE RIGHT TO THE PROPERTY OR A BENEFIT THEREOF, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 812.014(2)(C)(5). did unlawfully traffic in or endeavor to traffic in property that MS MELISSA WHITELAW knew or should have known was stolen, to-wit: MULTIPLE FIREARMS, the property of MR ELLIS ROBERTS, in violation of Florida Statute 812.019(1). KNOWINGLY GAVE FALSE VERIFICATION OF OWNERSHIP OF MULTIPLE FIREARMS, AND THE DEFENDANT GAVE A FALSE OR ALTERED IDENTIFICATION AND WHO RECEIVED MONEY IN THE AMOUNT OF $400.00, FROM SILVER STAMPEDE AND AMERICAN TRADING POST PAWNBROKERS FOR FIREARMS VALUED AT MORE THAN $300.00, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 539.001(8)(B)(8). ON 121314, A BURGLARY TO A RESIDENCE WAS REPORTED TO THIS AGENCY. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS LEARNED FROM THE VICTIM THAT HE SUSPECTED HIS NIECE, MS MELISSA WHITELAW (DEFENDANT), HAD BROKE IN TO HIS RESIDENCE AND STOLE MULTIPLE GUNS, WHILE THE VICTIM WAS NOT HOME. THE FIREARMS CONSISTED OF A .30-06 WINCHESTER, BOLT ACTION RIFLE, A .30-.30 WINCHESTER, LEVER ACTION RIFLE, A ITHACA 12 GAUGE, PUMP ACTION SHOT GUN, A GLENFIELD, MODEL 10, .22 BOLT ACTION RIFLE, AND A RUGER, 357 BLACK HAWK REVOLVER. ON 121414, I RESPONDED TO 2197 WEST JANZIN LANE, IN LECANTO, WHERE THE DEFENDANT, MS WHITELAW, WAS WITH THE VICTIM AT HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT SHE HAD STOLEN THE ABOVE LISTED FIREARMS AND PAWNED THEM, ALONG WITH TWO GOLD RINGS, AT VARIOUS PAWN SHOPS THROUGHOUT CITRUS COUNTY, AND PAWNED A MUZZLE LOADER IN MARION COUNTY. THE DEFENDANT FURTHER STATED THAT SHE WOULD TRY AND RETRIEVE THE ITEMS AND RETURN THEM TO THE VICTIM, SO HE WOULD NOT PURSUE CHARGES. ON 121414, I CONDUCTED A PAWN TRANSACTION QUERY FOR THE DEFENDANT, WHICH SHOWED SHE HAD PAWNED THE FIREARMS ON 110714, AT SILVER STAMPEDE (TICKET NUMBER 2924) AND ALSO ON 101714, AT AMERICAN TRADING POST (TICKET NUMBER 99749). I THEN SPOKE WITH A WITNESS, WHO ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT HAD ASKED HER TO PAWN A MUZZLE LOADER AND A GLENFIELD, MODEL 10, .22 CALIBER BOLT ACTION RIFLE FOR HER, TO WHICH THE WITNESS DECLINED. THE WITNESS PROVIDED ME WITH A SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT. I SPOKE WITH THE VICTIM AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS WILLING TO GET HIS PROPERTY BACK IF HE DID NOT PURSUE CHARGES, TO WHICH HE AGREED. ON 121614, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM, VIA TELEPHONE, WHO ADVISED ME THAT THE DEFENDANT ADVISED HIM THAT SHE COULD NOT GET ALL OF HIS PROPERTY BACK, BUT SHE FELT THAT SHE COULD GET HIS PROPERTY BACK BY 121914. THE VICTIM THEN STATED THAT HE WOULD RATHER PURSUE CHARGES ON THIS CASE. ON 121714, I RESPONDED TO THE DEFENDANTâS RESIDENCE, WHERE I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AND PLACED HER UNDER ARREST. THE DEFENDANT WAS HANDCUFFED, (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND HER BACK, SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE, AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY, THE DEFENDANT WAS TURNED OVER TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY STAFF. LATER THAT EVENING, DETECTIVE STRICKLAND AND I CONDUCTED A SWORN DIGITALLY RECORDED INTERVIEW WITH THE DEFENDANT. THE DEFENDANT WAS IMMEDIATELY READ HER MIRANDA WARNING, VIA AN AGENCY ISSUED PREPRINTED CARD, WHERE SHE ADVISED SHE WAS WILLING TO SPEAK TO ME. DURING THE INTERVIEW, THE DEFENDANT ADMITTED TO ENTERING THE RESIDENCE AND STEALING THE FIREARMS, ALONG WITH GOLD RINGS, WHILE THE VICTIM WAS ASLEEP ON THE FRONT PORCH OF HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEFENDANT FURTHER STATED THAT SHE CARRIED THE FIREARMS OUT TO HER VEHICLE, WHERE SHE KEPT THEM UNTIL SHE COULD PAWN THEM. THE DEFENDANT STATED SHE HAD SHOWN THE FIREARMS TO THE WITNESS, BUT DECLINED ASKING THE WITNESS PAWN THE ITEMS FOR HER. SEE AUDIO RECORDED INTERVIEW FOR FURTHER DETAILS. THE DEFENDANTâS BOND WAS SET AT $25,000.00 FOR ARMED BURGLARY, $5,000.00 FOR TRAFFICKING IN STOLEN PROPERTY, $2,000.00 FOR GRAND THEFT OF A FIREARM, AND $2,000.00 FOR FALSE VERIFICATION OF OWNERSHIP TO A PAWNBROKER. THE DEFENDANTâS TOTAL BOND WAS SET AT $34,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. |
