BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager LAKE BUTLER— Florida wildlife officers arrested a 22-year-old Lake Butler man after he was accused of shooting three hunting dogs, killing two. Lance Anthony Thornton was charged with three counts of animal cruelty and one count of evidence tempering. After deputies booked him into the Union County Jail Monday evening, … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A 41-year-old Starke man on the verge of standing trial for sexual assault, aggravated battery, and felony battery pleaded to witness tampering and was sentenced to three years in prison. In 2021, a companion of Lavern Leonard Marks accused the then-39-year-old of punching her in the mouth, kicking her in … Read more
The following individuals were arrested recently by local law enforcement officers in Bradford, Union or Clay (Keystone Heights-area) counties. All defendants are considered innocent until convicted in a court or until pleading guilty or no contest. Information in this report is from law enforcement agencies and court documents, which are public records. Bradford Cameron Christopher … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A judge revoked the bond of a Lake City man who was accused in July of shooting at a driver north of Lawtey. On July 17, Christopher Mark Nicklas, 33, was arrested for improperly exhibiting a firearm, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, aggravated assault, DUI, and refusal to submit … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A 33-year-old Starke man is spending 90 days in jail after pleading to shoplifting from Walmart on three separate occasions. Walter Shane Davis pleaded to three counts of petit theft, two counts of resisting the recovery of property, and one count each of requesting a refund with a false receipt … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A 37-year-old Hampton man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading to shaking a child so hard that swelling in the girl’s head caused her brain to shift 10 millimeters to the left. Calvin Holbert Carter was arrested on April 24 for child abuse with great bodily harm … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A woman accused of driving the getaway car in a Hampton child abduction was sentenced to three years’ probation after agreeing to testify against her co-defendant. Leilani R. Cheevers pleaded to interfering with the custody of a child. The state dropped a kidnapping charge. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A Lawtey man sentenced to probation earlier this year was sent to the Department of Corrections for five years after he tested positive for cocaine and was accused of fraud in Union County. In April, Joseph Stefan Wheeler pleaded to defrauding Jackson Building Supply of $18,355 and an individual of … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A Lake Butler man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading to stealing a man’s wallet and striking him in the head during the robbery, leaving the victim with permanent injuries. Darius Terrell “Poopman” Corbitt pleaded to robbery, felony battery, and witness tampering. According to court papers, Corbitt … Read more
BY DAN HILDEBRAN General manager A 34-year-old Alachua man was sentenced to 18 months’ probation for burglarizing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on State Road 238 west of Lake Butler. David Lee Wade pleaded to burglary and felony criminal mischief. On October 5, Union County Sheriff’s deputies and tracking dogs from Union … Read more
