| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: SHARPE, COREY 0636 (AR 16-18272) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN, USE OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, TO-WIT: SHERIFFâS YOUTH RANCH OF THE VALUE OF THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($300.00) OR MORE, BUT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00), TO WIT: JEWELRY, CLOTHING, AND CURRENCY 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 STATUTES 812.014; did unlawfully traffic in or endeavor to traffic in property that THE DEFENDANT knew or should have known was stolen, to-wit: JEWELRY AND CLOTHING the property of FLORIDA SHERIFFâS YOUTH RANCH, in violation of Florida Statute 812.019(1); KNOWINGLY GAVE FALSE VERIFICATION OF OWNERSHIP OF VARIOUS JEWELRY ITEMS AND THE DEFENDANT GAVE A FALSE OR ALTERED IDENTIFICATION AND WHO RECEIVED MONEY IN THE AMOUNT OF $244.50 FROM COLONIAL PAWNBROKER FOR VARIOUS JEWELRY VALUED AT LESS THAN $300.00, IN VIOLATION OF: FSS 539.001. ON 02/09/16 THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFFâS OFFICE RECEIVED A REPORT OF A GRAND THEFT AT THE SHERIFFâS YOUTH RANCH THRIFT STORE LOCATED AT 200 SE HWY 19 IN CRYSTAL RIVER. UPON SPEAKING TO THE COMPLAINANT/MANAGER, SHE ADVISED THAT SHE HAD NOTICED THAT THEIR CASH DONATIONS WERE DOWN OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. SHE BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT EMPLOYEE WILLIAM SIMAS JR MAY HAVE BEEN STEALING FROM THE DONATION JAR. THE COMPLAINANT BEGAN TO REVIEW SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AND FOUND THAT SUSPECT WILLIAM SIMAS WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO REMOVING MONEY FROM THE DONATION JAR ON 01/04/16, 01/07/16, 01/08/16, 01/18/16, 12/26/15, AND 12/28/15. THE COMPLAINANT ALSO SUSPECTED THAT THE SUSPECT HAD BEEN TAKING JEWELRY THAT WAS DONATED. A PAWN CHECK WAS CONDUCTED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT SUSPECT WILLIAM SIMAS HAD PAWNED SEVERAL ITEMS OF JEWELRY AT COLONIAL PAWN ON 01-09-16 AND RECEIVED $244.50 FOR THE SALE OF THESE ITEMS. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PAWNED ITEMS WERE TAKEN AND SHOWN TO THE COMPLAINANT. THE COMPLAINANT IDENTIFIED THESE ITEMS OF JEWELRY AS ITEMS THAT WERE DONATED TO THE SHERIFFâS YOUTH RANCH THRIFT STORE. SHE ADVISED THAT THESE ITEMS WERE ON HER DESK PRIOR TO BEING STOLEN. THE ORGINAL PAWN TICKET WAS COMPLETED AND SHOWED THAT WILLIAM SIMAS WAS THE PERSON WHO SOLD THE ITEMS TO COLONIAL PAWN. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THESE PAWNED ITEMS WAS $460.00. THE COMPLAINANT ALSO RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT THE SUSPECT MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN STEALING CLOTHING FROM THE SHERIFFâS YOUTH RANCH. THIS WRITTER FOUND THAT SUSPECT SIMAS HAD SOLD GENTLY USED CLOTHING TO THE LABELS STORE LOCATED AT THE CRYSTAL RIVER MALL. ACCORDING TO LABELS RECORDS, THEY HAD PURCHASED USED CLOTHING FROM SIMAS ON 08/14/15, 09/09/15, 09/24/15, 10/23/15, 11/01/15, 12/24/ 15 AND 01/05/16. SIMAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $230.70 FOR THE ABOVE TRANSACTIONS. ON 02/15/16 WILLIAM SIMAS WAS LOCATED AT HIS RESIDENCE AND ARRESTED FOR THE ABOVE THEFT. SIMAS WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY JAIL AND ONCE AT THE JAIL WAS ADVISED OF MIRANDA VIA CARD, WHICH HE WAIVED AND AGRED TO MAKE A STATEMENT. SIMAS CONFESSED TO ALL THE ABOVE LISTED THEFTS. SIMAS WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF GRAND THEFT, 01 COUNT OF DEALING IN STOLEN PROPERTY AND 01 COUNT OF FALSE PAWN. THE DEFENDANT WAS RELEASED ON HIS OWN RECOGNIZANCE DUE TO HIS COOPERATION AND LACK OF FELONY CRIMINAL HISTORY. REPORT TYPED BY DETECTIVE SHARPE (0636) |
