Page 33 - Florida Sentinel 9-15-17

Crime
Man Gets 30 Months, Must Forfeit $7,200 In Tax Fraud Case
Fire Department Warns Of Dangers Using Generators
A 34-year-old Tampa man
was sentenced to serve prison
time and forfeit more than
$7,000 in a tax fraud case. He
pleaded guilty to the theft of
government property May 18th.
Giday Kidane appeared in Federal Court on Wednes- day. He was sentenced to 6 months in prison for the theft of government funds and two years for aggravated identity theft. He was court-ordered to forfeit $7,200 and must re- main on supervision for three years after his release from prison.
According to the plea
agreement, using the name “Anwar,” Kidane sold and offered to sell stolen U. S. Treasury checks to a Confi- dential Informant (CI). In ex- change, Kidane would receive half of the face value of the checks.
The two agreed that the CI would pay Kidane $7,200 for both checks, plus an addi- tional amount after the larger check had been successfully deposited. The checks were valued at $20,679 and $4,583, respectively.
The theft took place be- tween November 2016 and January 2017.
Tampa Fire Rescue is warning residents without electricity about the dangers of using generators. Jason Penny, spokesman for the Tampa Fire Department shared the following tips:
Residents should place generators at least 15 feet from the house and away from doors and windows.
Never run a generator in an enclosed space or indoors.
If you’re using a generator to keep the lights on during a cleanup effort, use a working, battery-operated carbon monoxide detector at the same time.
Don’t run a portable gener-
ator in the rain. The exception is if you cover and vent it. You can buy model-specific tents online and generic covers at home centers and hardware stores.
Before refueling, turn off a gasoline-powered generator and let it cool.
Stock up on extra gasoline and store it properly.
Adding stabilizer to the gas in the can will help it last longer, but don’t store gaso- line near any potential sources of heat or fire, or inside the house.
Avoid electrical hazards. If you don’t yet have a transfer switch, you can use the outlets
on the generator if you follow certain precautions. It’s best to plug in appliances directly to the generator.
Install a transfer switch be- fore the next storm. A transfer switch connects the generator to your circuit panel and lets you power hardwired appli- ances while avoiding the safety risk of using extension cords.
Don’t attempt to backfeed your house. Backfeeding means trying to power your home’s wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. This presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer.
Burglars Target Businesses During Storm
Five Men Charged With Burglary During Storm
Local law enforcement are investigating numerous bur- glaries of homes and busi- nesses. Suspects took advantage of the State of Emergency to break into places and remove cash and merchandise. The offenses took place between September 9th and September 11th.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the following incidents:
A suspect used a brick to gain entry into the Value Choice Pharmacy, 13130 N. Dale Mabry Highway. Once in- side, the suspect used garbage bags to take non-narcotic pre- scription medications. An hour later, he returned to the pharmacy and collected an- other plastic garbage bag with medications. An estimated $30,000 worth of medications were stolen.
Suspects broke the front door of the Circle K, 6422 Benjamin Road, with a ham- mer. They fled with cigarettes, cigars and a couple cases of Corona beer.
Cigarettes were taken from the Circle K, 10111 West Hillsborough Avenue.
The Mobile Conven- ience Store, 10920 Highway
41 South, Gibsonton suffered a $1,000 loss after vandals broke in and took merchan- dise.
Unidentified suspects used a vehicle to crash into the Teresa Food Mart, 11733 North 15 Street, and steal items.
Seven dirt bikes, valued at $38,000, were taken from Tampa Bay Power Sports, N. 13521 Florida Avenue. The suspects crashed a vehicle into the building to gain entry.
Someone climbed through the drive thru window at Dunkin Donuts, 1909 East Bearss Avenue, and fled the scene with cash.
The Family Dollar Store, 2275 East Bears Avenue, lost 50 cartons of cigarettes after vandals broke the metal roll up door to gain entry.
J & J Tires, 19033 North Highway 41, lost $5,000 in merchandise that included a laptop, tools, tires and other miscellaneous items.
Best Buy Liquors, 1504 Storington Avenue, reported mini liquor bottles, lottery tickets and cigarettes, stolen during a burglary. The total value of the loss is estimated between $3,000 and $5,000.
Five men from Orlando were taken into custody on Monday and charged with burglary. The men were ar- rested by the Lakeland Police Department.
According to police, offi- cers responded to a report of suspects pulling on door han- dles in the parking lot of the Roadway Inn, 4645 N. Socrum Loop.
Officers located two of the suspects in the parking lot and the other three were observed walking in a nearby parking lot. As officers approached the three men in the Starbucks parking lot, they fled on foot.
Officers later discovered that the Starbucks had been pried open and the four cash registers were on the floor. One of the suspects, identified as Kevin Owen Mervilus, 19, was arrested immediately. He had $181.86 in his posses- sion.
Police established a perimeter and located two subjects in a wooded area. They also located Nyree Lashi Tucker, 19, conceal- ing himself in the wooded area. Tucker failed to surren- der and was apprehended by K9 Nox.
Tucker had $181.50 in his pocket and was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Hospital for his injuries. He allegedly told police the group had traveled from Orlando to Lakeland specifically, “To hit a lick.”
Joqavius Wright, 19, was found hiding in the wooded area. Wright was taken into custody without in- cident. A black detachable hood from a jacket was lo- cated next to Wright with a large amount of cash and
JOQAVIUS WRIGHT
KEVON MERVILUS
NYREE TUCKER
coins tied up in it. A green Starbucks coffee stir stick was amongst the cash and coin.
Detectives learned that their vehicle, a 2004 Ford Ex- plorer, was in the parking lot. They found items such as sweatshirts, hoods, and gloves that matched what the sus-
pects wore during the bur- glary were located in the vehi- cle.
In addition to those indi- viduals, police also arrested Kevin Grant Smith, 19, and Tomante Terrell Harris, 34, of Orlando. All five were charged with burglary.
UNCLE SANDY
A lie can travel 2, 6, 10, 14 half way around the world 17, 19, 32, 33 while the truth 38, 42, 52, 54 is putting on its shoes. 3, 43, 53, 58.
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