Florida Sentinel Bulletin

ANIYA JOHNSON

A 2-yearold-old toddler was injured at an unlicensed home day care center last Thursday. The child suffered a broken leg.

According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, the incident took place at the home of 25-year-old Aniya Johnson in the 1600 block of 21st Avenue South.

Johnson misrepresented her at-home day care as being licensed, police said. However, she reportedly admitted to detectives that it is not.

She is facing charges of child neglect with great bodily harm and failure to obtain a license for a day care center.

JOHN ANTOINE

(St. Petersburg Police Dept.)

     The Pinellas Park Police Department arrested a St. Petersburg Police Officer and charged him with aggravated assault. The arrest took place last Friday.

     According to police, Officer John Antoine was taken into custody at 8 p. m., on August 30^th.

     On August 28th, Officer Antoine was involved in a verbal argument with his
domestic partner and the mother of his children, outside her home in Pinellas
Park.  He made threatening comments to her, while in full uniform and armed.

     She reported the incident to her employer and the Pinellas Park Police
Department took over as the primary investigative agency since it occurred in
their jurisdiction.

     Officer Antoine was arrested on one count of aggravated assault.

     Officer Antoine was placed on unpaid administrative leave.   His weapon(s) were seized.

     Officer Antoine was sworn in as a St. Petersburg Police Officer on 10/02/2017.

Last Saturday night, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) successfully responded to a request for assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), apprehending ten individuals during a coordinated street takeover event in Tampa. This criminal event was endangering the safety of the local community.

The event, which was organized via social media, drew a crowd of hundreds and a large number of participating vehicles. Participants closed an intersection to do donuts, drift, and engage in other knowingly illegal and reckless driving activities, resulting in the following ten arrests: four racing on highway charges; three-drug related charges; three-firearms recovered; six charges for passenger participation in a street race/takeover; four-vehicles impounded; and recovery of over $6,000 in assets.

The individuals arrested were: Jakob Bryan, 20, Land O’Lakes; Jakiya Burr, 24, Lake Wales; 17-year-old male juvenile, Wesley Chapel; Jaewon Foster, 29, Haines City; Ethan Marton, 20, Holiday, Marquis Pinkins, 29, Haines City, Alex Rodriguez-Lazu,20, Lakeland; Ramon Santiago, 20, Lakeland, Jackson Tubbs, 17, Tampa; and Grant Watson, 18, Wesley Chapel.

Those arrested were transported without incident to Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County, the juveniles were taken to the Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center.

YANCY CROWDER

Detectives have charged 31-year-old Yancy Crowder with aggravated child abuse with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Detectives stated that on August 30, 2024, at approximately 6:34 p. m., deputies assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau responded to 15219 Verona Avenue, in Unincorporated Largo in reference to a report of shots fired. When deputies arrived, they found the 12-year-old male victim with a gunshot wound to his shoulder area.

According to detectives, 31-year-old Yancy Crowder and another man were in front of 15250 Verona Avenue when 31-year-old Calvert Hart arrived at the location. Per detectives, Crowder entered the residence, retrieved a firearm,
exited the residence, and  fired in Hart’s direction multiple times. As Hart
fled the scene in his vehicle, Crowder continued to fire at him. The 12-year-old victim, who was standing in a nearby front yard on Verona Avenue, was in the direction Crowder was firing and was struck by a bullet.

Both Crowder and Hart fled the scene before deputies arrived.

The 12-year-old victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On August 31st, detectives assigned to the Tactical Investigation Section, with the assistance of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, arrested Crowder on three
felony warrants at 36489 Camp Fire Ter., Zephyrhills.

When Pinellas County
Sheriff’s Office detectives interviewed Crowder, he admitted he was at the
Verona address when the incident occurred, but denied having a firearm or
hearing any gunshots. Crowder described his leaving the area before law
enforcement arrived as coincidental.

Crowder was transported to the Pasco County Jail pending transfer to the Pinellas County Jail.

The investigation continues.

Derek Zitko

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a U. S. Army retiree, Lieutenant Colonel Derek Zitko, on charges of lewd or lascivious battery and molestation involving a juvenile victim.

The investigation was launched after a victim came forward earlier this month. During the investigation, detectives learned the incidents occurred in 2013, after Zitko befriended the victim’s family. Zitko was 40-41 years old, and the victim was 13-14 years old at the time.

On August 20, 2024, Derek Zitko, 52, turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued earlier that day.

Zitko served in the U. S. Army from June 1994, until his retirement in May 2015, and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has also been an active member of the Chapel at Fishhawk for approximately seven years, where he was as a small group leader and youth volunteer from 2018 to 2022.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office believes there may be additional victims and urges anyone with information to please come forward by calling (813) 247-8200.

Mark Brents

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a habitual offender after an organized retail theft unit investigation revealed a barcode manipulation scheme targeting Lowe’s stores across Hillsborough County and Clearwater.

Mark Brents, 57, who has been in prison eleven times and has been booked into the Orient Road Jail a staggering 74 times since 1985, has now been arrested for defrauding Lowe’s of more than $4,500 in merchandise during ten separate incidents.

The HCSO Organized Retail Theft Unit (ORT) became aware of the fraudulent activity and immediately launched an investigation earlier this month. Brents’ fraudulent activities involved placing barcodes from cheaper items onto more expensive products or scanning significantly less expensive items instead of paying the total price. This barcode manipulation scheme allowed him to defraud Lowe’s on multiple occasions.

Investigators also uncovered several ads placed online by Brents, advertising stolen items.

In coordination with the Clearwater Police Department, ORT launched a covert operation to arrest Brents. On August 21, 2024, Brents was observed driving erratically in a black Nissan Altima with an improper tag. Upon Brents’ return to his residence, the ORT, alongside with the Clearwater Police, successfully took Brents into custody.

Brents is facing multiple charges, including: organized scheme to defraud less than $20,000, retail theft $3,000 or more, and felony petit theft.

Brents was on probation for felony fleeing to elude at the time of his arrest. The Clearwater Police Department has filed additional charges related to the stolen property.

This is an ongoing investigation.