The recent spate of arrests for fraud in pawn transactions in Hernando County was indeed not a coincidence. After RealNewsRealFast.com reported on several arrests recently, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office issued a media release Thursday revealing details of an ongoing investigation.
According to the release, the Sheriff’s Office Crime Analysis Unit has recently created a Pawn Activity Pin Map which updates pawn activity more accurately and efficiently for detectives responsible for monitoring pawn and secondhand dealer activity. The pin map helps detectives to actually see who is excessively conducting pawn or secondhand dealer transactions.
Due to some suspicious activity, the detectives reportedlyy put together a Special Operational Plan in an effort to identify subjects who were pawning stolen items. The objectives of the plan were to identify and recover stolen property, arrest individuals who were committing thefts then dealing in stolen property and defrauding pawn brokers or secondhand dealers. A few individuals with numerous pawns and secondhand dealer transactions of women’s jewelry were identified. Some of these subjects had criminal histories relating to burglaries, theft, and dealing in stolen property. Their excessive pawn and secondhand transactions indicated that the items being sold by these individuals might be stolen property. Several arrests have already been made however more are expected in the next several days.
As a result in the Special Operation Plan, deputies said eight suspects were arrested this week and charged with the following:
Larry Van Bates W/M DOB 11/17/1964 (Victim – Defendants father)
6435 Zagnut Lane
Brooksville
11 Counts of Defrauding a Pawn Broker
1 Count of Violation of Probation
Total Bond, $5,500
Tyler Leone W/M DOB 02-14-90 (Victim – Roommate)
10046 Dunkirk Road
Spring Hill
1 Count Grand Theft
1 Count Dealing in Stolen Property
1 Count Defrauding a Pawn Broker
Total Bond, $5,000
Joseph Cunningham W/M DOB 09-12-1987 (Victim – Grandmother In-law)
5325 Joyner Ave
Spring Hill
9 Counts of Defrauding a Pawn Broker
Total Bond, $5,000
Alina Zenovia Celi W/F DOB 10/30/1990 (Victim – Mother)
3299 Josef Ave
Spring Hill
5 Counts of Dealing in Stolen Property
Alina was transported to the jail and later released on her own recognizance (ROR)
Matthew Adam Iannacone W/M DOB 10/07/1991 (Victim- Girlfriend’s mother)
2327 Dressel Ave
Spring Hill
1 Count Defrauding a Pawn Broker
1 Count Dealing in Stolen Property
Total Bond, $2,000
Krystie Alexis Fisher W/F DOB 11/10/1992 (Girlfriend of Matthew Adam Iannacone)
1 Count Grand Theft
1 Count Dealing in Stolen Property
Total Bond, $2,000
Caroline Rose Logsted W/F DOB 09/31/1989 (Victim – Mother and Brother)
2042 Godfrey Ave
Spring Hill
2 Counts Defrauding a Pawn Broker
1 Count Grand Theft
1 Count Dealing in Stolen Property
No Bond (Due to being out on an ROR bond status for organized fraud)
Michael Anthony Greer W/M DOB 09-21-67 (Victim – Neighbor)
7479 Canterbury Street
Spring Hill
1 Count Dealing in Stolen Property
1 Count Defrauding a Pawn Broker
1 Count Burglary
1Count Grand Theft
Total Bond, $27,000
“I am very impressed with our Crime Analysis Unit and our detectives for coming up with tools that identify criminals in a more proactive fashion,” said Sheriff Al Nienhuis. “One interesting common denominator in this particular Special Operational Plan was that nearly every suspect had stolen the items from a family member. In a few cases, we uncovered the crime before the relatives knew they were victimized. I also feel it is worth mentioning that when someone pawns a stolen item, they commit more than one crime resulting in multiple criminal charges.”