The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a robbery that occurred at a north Sarasota business this morning.
Deputies were called to Adult Pursuits, 3480 17th Street, at 10:37 a.m., when the clerk reported she had been robbed.
The suspect is described as a white male with a tan face, 6’ tall, 180-200 pounds, in his 40s, with a dark beard and mustache. The man was last seen wearing a dark baseball cap, a dark short sleeved shirt and black gardening gloves. He fled the scene on a blue or silver bike, possibly without a seat.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Criminal Investigations at 941-861-4900 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477), or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com or via text message by texting TIP109 plus a message to CRIMES (274637).
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Tyler Kuntz, DOB 12/4/90, 6023 Viola Road, Venice, for molesting two young girls when he worked in the after-care program at their school.
The victims came forward separately in January and June of this year to report that they were touched inappropriately by Kuntz in 2011. One girl said she was in kindergarten at the time and the other said she was in first grade when the alleged incidents occurred.
Kuntz was employed by Taylor Ranch Elementary School as a program attendant from October 2009 to September 2011. He was arrested by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office on September 29, 2011, for Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child for an incident that occurred at a private home. Kuntz is currently on probation for that offense and is a registered sex offender.
Detectives arrested Kuntz this morning and charged him with six counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child Less than 12 Years Old. He is currently being held without bond.
Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight is proud to announce that two Crime Analysts have now received state certification as a Law Enforcement Analyst.
Anne Marie Bowser, a 20-year employee of the agency, graduated as a member of the 20th class of the FDLE Florida Law Enforcement Analyst Academy. Her colleague, Natalie Johnson-Mayer, received state certification last year.
The academy, which began in 2003, is the first of its kind in the nation. During the six-week course which met one week a month for the past six months, analysts learned criminal and intelligence analysis skills that are used by law enforcement to successfully prevent crime and conduct complex investigations.
“I am committed to providing Sarasota County with a well-educated workforce that possesses a progressive skill set,” said Sheriff Knight. “Advanced training through respected certification programs enhances the development and growth of personnel.”
Robust information sharing and data analysis is the essence of the intelligence-led policing (ILP) philosophy that the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office follows. The overall goal of this concept is to enhance proactive policing efforts and further the positive outcomes of law enforcement actions to protect the community. Consistent, quality information shared agency-wide is analyzed and made “actionable” for the operators in the field, resulting in crime reduction, disruption or prevention.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man who brought a six-year-old boy with him as he and a friend drove to a north Sarasota home to buy drugs.
Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a white pickup truck just after 10:00 p.m., Friday night. The vehicle had just left a residence at Dixie Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., and ran a stop sign as it left the area. When deputies approached the vehicle they found Fallon Miller, DOB 2/10/81 (driver, no permanent address), passenger Gregory Wagner, DOB 4/28/65, 3735 Aloha Drive, Sarasota, and the child sitting between them.
Deputies noticed Miller had put crack cocaine in her mouth in an attempt to conceal the drugs and after a short struggle the small white was collected as evidence. Miller admitted hiding a crack pipe beneath the child and acknowledged her driver’s license was suspended.
The area where the drug deal occurred has had a number of narcotics-related violent crimes recently and Wagner knowingly put the six-year-old child at risk. Wagner is charged with Child Abuse and being Principle to Possession of Cocaine. Miller is charged with Possession of Cocaine, Tampering with Evidence, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving While License is Suspended.
Deputies called a family member to take custody of the child and reported the incident to DCF. This is Wagner’s 17th arrest in Sarasota County and Miller’s 22nd local arrest.
