Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 4-17-18

Crime
Deputies Arrest Wanted Gang Member
Two Charged
Police Seek Help
Deputies with the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man wanted in Pinellas County.
According to police, Christopher Austin, a member of the “Hot Boyz” Gang, reportedly absconded while on felony probation for RICO and Conspiracy to com- mit RICO charges. The charges stemmed from a 2010 investigation conducted by the HCSO Gang Unit.
Following leads, officers with the Pinellas County Sher-
iff’s Office Violent Crimes Task Force, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Of- fice Violent Offender Warrant Unit, and the Hills-
Shooting
Of Tampa Man
Man Charged With Kidnapping, Sexual Battery
DEVIN SCRIVEN
is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1- 800-873-TIPS, or www.crimestopperstb.com.
Police arrested a 32-year- old man last Wednesday in con- nection with a sexual battery. He is being held at the Hillsbor- ough County Jail without bond.
According to the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, the unidentified woman was dropped off by a friend at a va- cant home in Ruskin. She met Jerry Roberts, Jr., at the lo- cation, who guided her around the back of the home.
The woman told police, once inside, Roberts struck her several times about her head and body. He then held a machete to her neck and threat-
ened her life. Roberts al- legedly tied her up with a liga- ture and sexually battered her. She was kept inside the vacant home for about 18 hours before she escaped and contacted po- lice.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and found evidence in- side the home to support the woman’s statements.
When they made contact with Roberts, detectives found a video of the woman bound and naked on Roberts’ cell- phone, police said.
Roberts was taken into custody on Friday.
Two Charged With Burglarizing
CHRISTOPHER AUSTIN
Last Friday, Clearwater po- lice responded to a shooting in the 1100 block of Blanche B. Littlejohn Trail. A woman called police after hearing gun- shots.
When police arrived shortly after 6:30 p.m., they found a 22-year-old man who had been shot at least once. Emergency personnel responded and pro- vided first aid. The victim, who was identified as Wayne M. Hamm, III, died as a result of his injuries.
A vehicle matching one seen at the murder scene was stopped a few blocks away by police. Following an investiga- tion, police arrested 17-year- old Jamel James Hodges and 21-year-old Rafael Mer- cado Garcia. Both were charged with murder.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is asking for assistance in solving the mur- der of a Tampa man. He was found dead at his home earlier this month.
According to police, on April 6th, deputies responded to 1541 Kingsway Road in ref- erence to a suspicious death. The victim was identified as 34-year-old Devin Scriven.
His death has since been classified as a murder. No other information has been released.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information in the murder. Anyone with in- formation about the accident
borough County Sheriff’s Of- fice located Austin in Tampa. He was taken into custody without incident.
In Fatal
To Solve Murder
Murder Suspect Killed By State Troopers
St. Petersburg police ar- rested two people and charged them with preying on two eld- erly victims. They were ar- rested last Thursday.
According to police, Ms. Raven Mitchell, 21, and 32- year-old Shagontha Legrand followed two elderly victims home and took their purses from their vehicles.
On April 8th, a 95-year-old woman drove home from the grocery store. The two took her purse from the car while she was still in it. She was not harmed.
They are also connected to a similar incident in which the victim was 90-years-old. They encountered her on April 10th. In this case, the suspects searched the victim’s car and trunk after she returned from the grocery store.
However, a witness ob- served them and they fled without getting anything. The witness gave police a descrip- tion of the getaway car and identified both suspects.
They were observed by po- lice entering an unlocked SUV parked at a Walgreens on 49th
RAVEN MITCHELL
Street North. They took a purse from the vehicle and fled, but were arrested shortly af- terwards.
Both
SHAGONTHA LEGRAND
were charged with bur- glary of an unoccupied vehicle, burglary of an occupied vehicle, and possession of mari- juana.
Elder Victims Cars
The hunt for a man wanted for killing his landlord ended in a gun battle. The suspect was killed by State Troopers.
The Pinellas Park Police Department confirmed that 45-year-old Steven Brooks, a.k.a. Siddeeq Ma’Shooq, died after being shot by Penn- sylvania State Troopers last Friday. Police said troopers at- tempted to stop the stolen Ala- bama truck Brooks was driving in on I-79 in South Strabane late Thursday.
Instead of stopping, Brooks is alleged to have driven away, going the wrong way down a ramp leading to I- 70, and crashed the stolen ve- hicle into a bridge support. He ran from the vehicle, jumped a fence, and pulled a gun. When troopers ordered him to drop the weapon, he allegedly re- fused and was shot around 1:40 a.m., Friday. He was pro- nounced dead at the scene, po- lice said.
The hunt for Brooks began on February 12th, after Brooks allegedly shot his
STEVEN BROOKS ... A.K.A. SIDDEEQ MA’SHOOQ
landlord as she ran from him. The vic- tim was Ms. Caroline Morton- Hicks, a member of the Pinellas Park Orches- tra. Police said Brooks was behind in his rent.
After shooting Ms. Mor- ton-Hicks, Brooks allegedly drove away in her vehicle. Po- lice said he tried to set it afire a few blocks away.
He was tracked to Harvest, Alabama and remained there until Wednesday. That night, he was spotted near Huntsville, Alabama. When police and federal marshals at- tempted to arrest him, Brooks allegedly rammed two marshal vehicles and drove away.
The next time he was ob- served by law enforcement was in Pennsylvania, police said.
UNCLE SANDY
Progress is impossible 6, 17, 22, 28 without change, and those 3, 15, 27, 36 who cannot change their minds 1, 40, 44, 51 cannot change any- thing. 20, 30, 34, 50.
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 19