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
Missed appointment
Cicera Barnett, 32, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 5 for a conditional release violation.
According to court papers, the defendant was originally arrested by Lawtey police on May 1, 2024, for driving an unregistered vehicle, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and driving with a revoked or suspended license.
On June 13, 2024, County Judge D. Tatum Davis revoked Barnett’s pre-trial release because she missed an appointment with a forensic mental health specialist as required by her pre-trial release and made no effort to contact Meridian Behavioral Health.
Karen Buhler, 66, of Hampton, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 4 for a probation violation.
Richard Casper, 64, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 2 for an out-of-county warrant.
Radues Cull, 42, of Jacksonville, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 2 for a probation violation.
Jason Harden, 47, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 3 for a probation violation.
Lisa Hunt, 38, of Keystone Heights, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 4 for failure to appear.
Leslie Johnson, 63, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 3 for a probation violation.
Kaeli Jones, 35, of Gainesville, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 3 for a probation violation.
Accused of punching wife in the face
Rochak Kunwar, 28, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on May 31 for battery and simple assault.
According to an arrest report, deputies noted bruises on the victim’s arms, which the victim said were from a separate incident and the injuries were also caused by her husband.
“The victim also had swelling and light bruising on the right side of the face,” wrote a deputy in the report. “(She) stated that Rochak punched her in the face tonight when they were having dinner.”
The officer added that, according to the victim, the couple got into an argument, and the defendant threw a water bottle at the victim, but missed. She claimed that the defendant punched her in the face and told her he wanted to kill her.
“(The victim) alleged that Rochak also grabbed her by the neck, however, she was unable to recall if her airway was blocked or not,” wrote officers. “There were no visible signs of injury on the victim’s neck.”
According to deputies, the defendant admitted to officers that he and his wife were arguing over sending money to a family member overseas. He claimed he threw the water bottle at the refrigerator, not at his wife. Rochak denied all allegations of battery and assault made against him.
According to deputies, when asked about the bruises on his wife, the defendant responded, “I don’t know, probably like hit by a door or something.”
William Martinez, 25, of Ocala, was arrested by Lawtey police on June 5 for driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Karl McKinley, 44, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on May 31 for possession of drugs, possession of drug equipment, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Arrested for shoplifting
Veronica Seymour, 38, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 2 for larceny.
According to court papers, a loss prevention officer at Starke’s Walmart told Starke police on May 1, 2023, that Seymour stole $319.31 worth of merchandise from the retailer. The store employee further claimed that during the previous month, Seymour attempted to take around $600 in goods from the store. Police did not arrest Seymour due to an apparent seizure, and she was instead transported to a hospital.
A judge issued an arrest warrant for Seymour in October 2023.
Noah Shores, 25, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 5 for larceny, burglary, and trespassing.
Edward Smith, 39, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 3 for withholding support.
Michael Smith, 44, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 6 for a probation violation.
Accused of striking household member
Najeeb Smith, 35, of Lake Butler, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 4 for domestic battery.
According to an arrest report, the victim claimed Smith slapped and punched the victim.
“Investigation revealed that the victim and the suspect were engaged in an argument,” wrote a deputy. “At some point during the argument, the suspect battered the victim by striking the victim with his hands/fist. During this investigation, I observed a small cut on the inside of the victim’s upper lip.”
Kevin Thomason, 54, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 6 for an out-of-county warrant.
Jessie Wimer, 47, of Starke, was arrested by Bradford deputies on June 6 for larceny, possession of drug equipment, resisting an officer, and criminal mischief with property damage.
Union
Abraham Arreola Galvan, 23, of DeLeon Springs, was arrested by Union deputies on June 3 for driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Said to have lied about boyfriend’s whereabouts
Melissa Campbell, 38, of Lake Butler, was arrested by Union deputies on June 7 for resisting an officer without violence.
According to an arrest report, while deputies were searching for Campbell’s boyfriend in a residence near the Department of Corrections’ Reception and Medical Center, the defendant misled the officers about the boyfriend’s whereabouts, lying that he was not in the home, and leading them to areas of the house she knew the boyfriend was not hiding.
Deputies later found the boyfriend, Eric Knight, behind a closed door that Campbell told them had been accidentally locked.
Richard Casper, 64, of Starke, was arrested by Union deputies on June 3 for a probation violation.
Angela Dickinson, 21, of Lake Butler, was arrested by Union deputies on June 8 for smuggling contraband into a detention facility.
Adam James, 46, of Archer, was arrested by Union deputies on June 6 for a probation violation.
Toddler reveals Dad’s violation
Eric Knight, 35, of Lake Butler, was arrested by Union deputies on June 7 for contempt of court.
According to an arrest report, a judge had issued a no-contact order, preventing Knight from being near his two-year-old daughter after Knight was arrested for putting the two-year-old’s life in danger.
A case worker told Union deputies that Knight was arrested for driving over 130 mph while the child was in his vehicle.
The case worker added that while conducting a home check on the toddler, the child told her that her father was in the same home where she was.
Deputies located Knight, hiding in the home.
Lavell Strong, 28, of Archer, was arrested by Union deputies on June 3 for failure to appear.
Deputies- Man shoved wife in chest, slapped her in the face
Michael Thornton, 43, of Lake Butler, was arrested by Union deputies on June 5 for battery.
According to an arrest report, the defendant’s wife told deputies that after she questioned the defendant about why another family member suddenly left the home, Thornton became angry and shoved her in the chest four times, even after she backed away.
The woman said that after she called 911, her husband slapped her in the face, and she slapped him in return.
Clay
Anniversary dinner ends with van in flames
Willie Hagan, 50, of Keystone Heights, was arrested by Clay deputies on June 2 for arson.
According to an arrest report, when deputies arrived on scene, they found a van fully engulfed in flames, with Clay County Fire Rescue attempting to extinguish the fire.
The defendant’s girlfriend told deputies she and Hagan began to argue after an anniversary dinner, and that her boyfriend was “extremely intoxicated.”
Neighbors of the victim said they heard arguing next door and began monitoring their exterior security cameras.
“I viewed the footage,” wrote Deputy Mason McClain in the report, “which showed several clips leading up to the fire and during the fire. The vehicle that the defendant sets fire to is observed just out of frame.”
McClain added that although the video does not capture Hagin setting the vehicle on fire, “he was observed being the only one around the van during video clips, and then after it was lit. He was heard in the audio of another clip saying, “I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the music.”
Lisa Hunt, 38, of Melrose, was arrested by Clay deputies on June 3 for failure to appear.
She wouldn’t give him the vape
Mark Mike, 32, of Charleston, West Virginia, was arrested by Clay deputies on June 4 for domestic battery.
According to an arrest report, the defendant told deputies that he and his wife had been married for seven years and lived in West Virginia until two months ago.
At that time, the wife moved in with a cousin in the High Ridge Estates area. Two weeks ago, the defendant began sleeping in the living room of the same residence.
The defendant told deputies that since he arrived in the Lake Region, he and his wife had been arguing constantly.
On the morning of Wednesday, June 4, the couple began arguing again over a vape in the wife’s possession that the defendant claimed was his.
“Mark then grabbed a nearby pillow and smothered (the victim) while she was laying on her mattress,” wrote Deputy Brandon Draughon-Miller in the arrest report. “Mark then got up, grabbed a nearby blanket and struck (the victim) with the blanket repeatedly, striking her in her torso. Mark then pushed (the victim) with both hands against the nearby wall.”
The victim added that her husband then began throwing various items in the house at her and only stopped when her cousin demanded that he stop and leave the residence.
