Bradford felony dispositions
Monitor Editor
STARKE— Henry Rictor Owens Jr., 45, of Melrose was sentenced to 28 months in prison for the Feb. 23 offenses of selling cocaine, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony.
According to court papers, a confidential source purchased 13.1 grams of cocaine from the defendant for $550. Owens used a mobile phone and Facebook Messenger to facilitate the transaction.
Tinted windshield leads to sentence
Ryan Michael Hewitt, 29, of Lawtey was sentenced to 28 months’ drug offender probation and time served of 28 days for the March 18 offenses of driving with a suspended or revoked license and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
According to a sworn complaint, deputies pulled the defendant’s Volkswagen over as it was entering Lawtey because the vehicle had tint on its windshield.
The defendant’s license had been suspended seven times for failure to pay traffic fines and once for DUI.
Bradford Sheriff’s Detective Franklin Ehrnreiter wrote in the report that during the traffic stop, Hewitt grabbed a red Edgefield cigarette pack from the driver’s door and showed the detective a Suboxone strip within the pack he had just purchased for $15.
The officer did not arrest Hewitt during the stop but instead forwarded the sworn complaint to the State Attorney’s Office, which later filed charges against the defendant.
Traffic hazard, drug sentence
Robert Wayne Masey, 34, of Starke was sentenced to 16 months in prison for the Sept. 6 offenses of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug equipment.
According to an arrest report, Bradford Sheriff’s Sergeant Logan Hough responded to complaints that the defendant was throwing a bucket into traffic on County Road 225. The sergeant added that earlier that same evening, he responded to the same location after motorists complained that the defendant was walking into traffic, nearly getting hit.
“Based on my previous interactions with Robert, I know him to have a severe drug problem,” wrote Hough in the report. “I observed Robert holding a copper pipe and a drill. I instructed Robert to place these items on the ground so I could detain him for further investigation.”
The officer added that Masey asked him to take him to Meridian Behavioral Healthcare for treatment.
Hough searched Masey and found marijuana and methamphetamine in his pockets, in addition to a marijuana grinder.
Stole meds, safes
John Lamar Crews, 25, was sentenced to three years’ drug offender probation and 68 days served for the July 18 offenses of burglary, criminal mischief with property damage and grand theft.
According to an arrest report, witnesses said the defendant broke into a woman’s home and stole four bottles of prescription medications and two safes.
Deputies later found the stolen items at the defendant’s residence. Several days later, the defendant told a deputy he broke into the home but did not take anything of value. When asked about the drugs and safes found in his home, Crews replied that he blacks out and does not remember taking the items.
Failed to return rented appliances, furniture
Angela Dixon Jenkins, 37, of Lake Butler was sentenced to 18 months’ probation for the Nov. 13, 2019, offense of failing to return leased property.
According to court papers, the defendant rented a washer and dryer, living room furniture, bedroom furniture, two televisions and a sound bar from Rent-A-Center and failed to deliver the items back to the business after making two payments.
Jenkins signed a pre-trial intervention agreement on Oct. 28, 2020, but failed to fulfill the terms of the agreement.
Charges dropped after drug raid
The state dropped child neglect charges against Karen Elizabeth Sherrod, 20, of Starke.
The defendant was one of nine people arrested in March by Bradford deputies during a residential search for drugs in the area of County Road 229A and County Road 229.
In July, the state dropped an additional charge against Sherrod of resisting an officer.
Search warrant yields bullet, stun gun, drugs
Kayla Renee Truett, 28, was sentenced to 300 days in jail for the July 5 offenses of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a felon or delinquent, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug equipment.
According to an arrest report, Bradford Sheriff’s Detective Jake Whitehead executed a search warrant of the defendant’s residence and found a purse and backpack belonging to Truett. The two bags contained a .22 caliber bullet, an electric stun gun, 10 oxycodone pills and several glass smoking pipes with methamphetamine residue on the pipes.
Strangled, punched girlfriend
Isaiah Taylor Banks, 20, of Starke was sentenced to 63 days in jail and five years’ probation for the July 28 offenses of felony domestic battery and retaliating against a witness without injury.
According to an arrest report, the defendant entered his girlfriend’s house, grabbed her by the throat, and pulled her outside onto the porch, where he punched her on the left side of her face.
A deputy wrote in the report that after failing to find the defendant at his residence, the officer received a phone call from the victim who said Banks had returned to her home. The deputy wrote that while on the phone with the victim, the officer could hear Banks threatening to kill her.
Other felony dispositions
James Russell Addison, 60, was sentenced to two years’ drug offender probation for the July 26 offense of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. The state dropped an additional charge of domestic battery.
Taylor Renee Giles, 19, of Starke signed a pre-trial intervention agreement for the June 4, 2021, offense of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
Michael Wayne Hall, 47, was sentenced to 147 days in jail for felony driving with a suspended or revoked license- habitual offender.
Dickie Lynn Tribble, 47, was sentenced to two years’ probation for the June 10 offense of felony driving with a suspended or revoked license- habitual offender.
