Sheriff Stuart Whiddon announces that on Monday, November 14, 2011 members of the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Division were able to close down a stolen vehicle ring and chop shop in the Muse area of Glades County.  Detective received information that parts of a stolen vehicle out of Hendry County, Florida were being advertised on Craig’s List for sale.

 The victim in Hendry County was able to identify the stolen property from pictures of the vehicle parts on the Craig’s List listing.

 With this information in hand two members of the Glades County Sheriff’s Office posed as possible buyers of the stolen vehicle parts and met with the sellers W/M Clayton L. Wilson 27 y/o and W/M Ralph Michael Lyons, 33 y/o who agreed to sell the parts of the stolen vehicle, which was positively identified by a VIN number, while the detectives were on scene.

 Once the transaction was completed both suspects were placed under arrest for dealing in stolen property.  During the course of the investigation a second vehicle, which was in the process of being parted out, was found on the property and it was also reported stolen out of Lee County, Florida.

 At that time both suspects were also charged with operating a chop shop.

Glades County Sheriff Stuart Whiddon along with FDLE Resident Agent in charge, Tammy Roane, will be holding a news conference on Friday, March 18, 2011 at 3:00 PM in reference to the active Homicide Investigation of Erica Vassell.  This conference will be held at the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, 1297 E. State Road 78, Moore Haven FL 33471.

 All news media is invited to attend this announcement and updates on the case.  All media request will be addressed at this conference.  Media personnel are requested to check in with the front desk Deputy and he or she will direct you to the press room.

Cane Grinding Festival in Ortona, Feb 5

Sour Orange Festival in Lakeport, Feb 12

Chalo Nitka Festival in Moore Haven, March 4,5

OKEECHOBEE GUN DEALER PLEADS GUILTY OF  MACHINE GUN SALES

        Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Hugo Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced today’s entry of guilty plea of defendant Edward Todd Basile, 47, of Okeechobee, Florida, on federal firearms law violations, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(6), and transfer of unregistered machine guns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861 (e).  Basile changed his plea to guilty in federal court in Fort Pierce earlier today, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank J. Lynch, Jr.

        According to in-court statements, Basile worked for Gun Smoke Enterprises, a federally licensed firearms dealer based in Okeechobee, Florida, that sells firearms  at southern Florida gun shows and over the Internet.  As stated in presentations in open court, Basile met on multiple occasions with a cooperating witness who was a convicted felon, and sold the informant firearms and parts to construct M-16 fully automatic rifles.  “Fully automatic” weapons are defined in federal law as those firearms that will repeatedly fire more than one shot, when the trigger is pulled only once. 

        According to the in-court statements, Basile instructed and assisted the cooperating witness in preparing false federal firearms transaction forms, using someone Basile thought was a third person, or “straw buyer,” to pretend to be the actual buyer of the firearms.  The person portraying the straw buyer was, in fact, an undercover ATF agent.  In addition, Basile on multiple occasions delivered to the informant parts designed to convert an otherwise lawful, semi-automatic rifle, such as the AR-15, into a fully automatic machine gun, such as the military’s M-16 rifle.  Federal law requires such parts to be registered, as well as the law restricts their creation, possession and transfer.  Basile delivered parts that were not numbered or registered.

        Basile is scheduled to be sentenced in federal Court in Fort Pierce by Untied States District Judge José E. Martinez, on Thursday, February 17, 2011.

        U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the federal law enforcement agency that investigated this case.  In addition, he commended the assistance of both the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office and the Glades County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation of this case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.

        A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

     On 11/07/2010 at approximately 2130 hours Glades County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a disturbance call located at 1213 Swinging Trail Road in the rural community of Muse, within Glades County.  While traveling to the call for service, additional information was obtained that a 42 year old, white male subject, later identified as Austin Stem, had been fatally wounded, as a result of a single gunshot wound.

     Due to the case still being under investigation, no additional information can be released at this time.  Anyone having information in regards to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Mike Pepitone at the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division, at (863) 946-1600.

     Glades County Sheriff, Stuart Whiddon, is pleased to announce that on August 27th, 2009 Glades County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Burglary and Grand Theft complaint Moore Haven. The victim reported that approximately $8,000 worth of items were taken to include fourteen firearms, ammunition, collectable coins, jewelry and swords.

      Detective Sergeant’s Harris and Pepitone began investigating the case and obtained information which lead to the arrest of Dwight Billings. Billings cooperated in the investigation, which lead to the recovery of all the firearms, coins, swords and the majority of the stolen jewelry. During the course of the investigation two other suspects were identified and arrests warrants were then obtained for Christopher Bradley Layton and Joseph Malphrus.

   Layton and Malphrus were subsequently arrested on their warrants and later interviewed by the detectives. Upon interviewing the subjects additional information was obtained about this case and other burglaries within Glades and Hendry Counties.

    Billings and Malphrus also admitted to burglarizing the club house at Maple Corner Manufactured Home Park in Glades County, stealing a stereo system and microwave oven, which were later recovered at Billings’ residence. Billings and Malphrus were also subsequently arrested for Burglary and Grand Theft relating to this case.

    All information obtained from the suspects, concerning crimes that occurred in Hendry County, was forwarded to Investigator McVey of the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Harris and Pepitone then assisted Inv. McVey with solving approximately five to six burglaries that occurred in the area of Labelle and recovering some of the stolen property to include firearms, satellite radio, GPS systems and other miscellaneous items.

    Dwight Billings has been charged with one count of Armed Burglary to a Dwelling, one count of Burglary to an Unoccupied Structure and two counts of Grand Theft. Billings is being held on bond at the Glades County Jail.

    Christopher Bradley Layton has been charged with one count of Armed Burglary to a Dwelling and one count of Grand Theft. Layton is also being held on bond.

    Joseph Malphrus has been charged with one count of Armed Burglary to a Dwelling, one count of Burglary to an Unoccupied Structure and two counts of Grand Theft. Malphrus is also being held on bond.

    Anyone having additional information regarding these or any other criminal activities is asked to contact the Glades County Sheriff’s Office at (863) 946-1600. 

Dwight Billings


Christopher Bradley Layton


Joseph Malphrus


 

     D/S Mark Taylor was in the Muse area when the call came in and was able to secure a perimeter with the assistance of Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, Fish and Wildlife Commission and several members of the Glades County Sheriff’s Office. A short time later, the suspect was located in a pasture near Summerall Road. D/S Gary Johnson gave chase on foot and was able to apprehend the suspect however the suspect was not in possession of the stolen property. The suspect was brought back to the scene and positively identified by the victim. He was later identified as Daniel Bryant of Old Muse Road, Labelle.

     Glades County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division arrived on scene to assist with the investigation. Det. Sgt. Don Salo was able to obtain physical evidence linking Bryant to the crime. D/S Mark Taylor arrested Bryant for aggravated assault with a firearm, armed burglary and grand theft of firearms. A bond was set at $45,000.00. Members of the Criminal Investigations Unit were able to recover many of the stolen items after the suspect confessed to the crime and agreed to cooperate with the investigation.