Steve Eugene Esche (Missing and Endangered Man)
DOB: 11/08/1958
Address: 10266 130th Street North, Seminole

What:
Deputies are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a Seminole man with mental disabilities, who left his home to go for a walk and did not return.

When:
He was last seen at about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Where:
He was last seen at his home located at 10266 130th Street North in Seminole.

Why/How:
Deputies say 54-year-old Steve Eugene Esche left his home in unincorporated Seminole at about 6:00 p.m. today to go for a walk. When he did not return, his sister (caregiver) went out to search for him and was unable to locate him. At about 10:00 p.m., she went to the Sheriff’s Administration Building on Ulmerton Road to report him missing.

Deputies began to search for him. Esche was entered into the NCIC/FCIC as missing and endangered.

Esche is described as a white male, about 6 feet tall and about 200 pounds. He has brown eyes, brown balding hair and is clean shaven. He was last seen wearing a green t-shirt with a Nascar emblem, blue jeans and sneakers.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Steve Eugene Esche is asked to contact their local law enforcement.

What:
Detectives assigned to the Burglary/Pawn Unit are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a suspect in approximately 8 auto burglaries in the Ridgemoor area of Palm Harbor.

When:
The burglaries occurred on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Where:
The burglaries occurred  in the Ridgemoor Subdivision Area in Palm Harbor.

Why/How:
According to detectives, on May 7, 2013 between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. the suspect broke into approximately 8 different vehicles. The burglaries took place in the Ridgemoor Subdivision area of Palm Harbor. All of the burglarized vehicles were unlocked.

The suspect is described as a white male, in his late teens to early 20’s, approximately 5’10”-6’00” tall with a slender build and short blonde hair. The suspect was last seen wearing a gray long sleeved shirt.

The investigation continues.

Anyone with information on these burglaries is asked to contact Detective Jonathan Tobeck of the Burglary/Pawn Unit at (727) 582-6200 or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward contact Crime Stoppers at 1800-873-TIPS or www.crimestoppersofpinellas.org.

Surveillance video of the suspect is attached.  http://youtu.be/Eae_DhpWXQY

What:
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri today announced that there was an 11.44% decrease in Part 1 Crimes for the Sheriff’s entire service area in 2012 as compared to 2011. Furthermore, the numbers represent the fourth year in a row that Part 1 crimes have declined. The overall four year decline is 22.1%

When:
The UCR stats for 2012 were announced on May 17, 2013.

Where:
The stats are representative of the Sheriff’s entire service area which includes the unincorporated area and the 12 contract cities.

Why/How:
The Sheriff says the 11.44% reduction in Part 1 Crimes in 2012 as compared to 2011 represents the fourth consecutive year in which the Sheriff’s Office has achieved a decrease in Part 1 Crimes. The overall decline from 2009 to 2012 is 22.1%. “We are very pleased with the continued reduction in crime”, said the Sheriff, “and that we have been able to achieve this in spite of the significant budget reductions we have had to make over the last several years.”

Sheriff Gualtieri also announced a high case clearance rate for homicides investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in 2012. 18 of 19 homicide cases were solved during this year.

In the FDLE Uniform Crime Report (UCR) system, Part One Crimes are Murder, Forcible Sex, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny and Motor Vehicle Theft.

The Sheriff’s jurisdiction includes the unincorporated area and 12 cities that have contracted with the Sheriff for primary law enforcement services. The cities are Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shore, Dunedin, Indian Rocks Beach, Madeira Beach, North Redington Beach, Oldsmar, Redington Beach, Safety Harbor, Seminole, and South Pasadena. (St. Pete Beach became a contract city in January 2013.)

The Sheriff attributed the declining crime rates to the efficient work of Sheriff’s Office members; and stated the Sheriff’s Office would continue to strive to reduce crime even further through the use of proactive law enforcement strategies and by aggressively targeting hotspots.

John Richard Polgar, Jr. (Arrested)
DOB: 12/31/1958
Address: 655 6^th Street South, Safety Harbor
Arrested for Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12.

The victim is a female under age 12 who is known to the suspect. Per FL Statute 119.071(2)(h)1 no further information will be released that would tend to identify the victim.

What:
Detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children Unit have arrested a man for Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12.

When:
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

The crime occurred in June of 2011.

Where:
The crime occurred at a private residence in Safety Harbor.

Why/How:
Pinellas County Detectives have arrested a Safety Harbor man for Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12. Detectives began their investigation in March of 2013, when the victim child disclosed that the suspect molested her in June of 2011. Through their investigation, detectives determined the suspect, identified as 55-year-old John Richard Polgar, Jr., molested the victim once in 2011.

Detectives made contact with Polgar on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 and he denied the allegations. Polgar is a registered sex offender.

Polgar was arrested and transported to the Pinellas County Jail without further incident.

The investigation continues.

See attached booking photo.

John Polgar Jr. Booking Photo

What:  The Sheriff’s Annual Agency Awards Ceremony recognizes courageous service, as well as, personal initiative in solving crimes and providing public service.

Where:  The ceremony will take place at the City of Seminole Recreation Auditorium, located at 9100 113th Street North in Seminole.

When:  The ceremony is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Thursday, May 16th, 2013.

How/Why:  

The Sheriff’s Annual Awards Ceremony recognizes courageous service, as well as, personal initiative in solving crimes and providing public service.

This year’s ceremony will recognize over 90 individuals for their exemplary efforts throughout the year as well as:

Law Enforcement Deputy of the Year – Two deputies who acted courageously to save a four-year-old boy’s life by administering CPR.

Detention Deputy of the Year – Awarded to a deputy who has dedicated his time to changing the lives of youthful offenders.

Forensic Science Specialist of the Year – Awarded to a specialist who responded to what at first appeared to be a death by natural causes, was soon ruled a homicide due to her expertise in bloodstain interpretation.

The Jackie Clement Award - For an outstanding performance by a support staff member in the Child Protection Investigation Unit.

Agency members will also receive awards in these categories:

Certificate of Professionalism – For an outstanding performance or achievement which brings credit to the agency.

Gold Star – For saving a life in a non-threatening situation or for an exemplary act.

Unit Achievement Award – For excellence in a group effort in an investigation or project.

Excellent Service – Awarded for a major accomplishment or arrest.

Meritorious Service - Awarded for a heroic act while attempting to save a life.

Exceptional Service – Awarded for a heroic act involving grave personal danger.

Combat Cross – Awarded for an act of heroism while engaged with an armed adversary.

Explorer Post 900

Police Athletic League (PAL)

Pinellas County Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

What:
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office 45^th Annual Dine-Out Day is a fundraiser to benefit Pinellas Sheriff’s youth programs.

Where:
Various restaurants in Pinellas County are participating in Dine-Out Day.

When:
Dine-Out Day is Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Dine-Out Dollars can be used for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner on the day of the event.

How/Why:
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Pinellas County Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, is holding their 45^th Annual Dine-Out Day on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Dine-Out Day is a fundraiser to benefit Pinellas Sheriff’s youth programs. Participating restaurants accept Dine-Out Dollars in lieu of cash for meal payment and donate $2.50 for every $5.00 spent.

A list of participating restaurants can be found on the Pinellas Sheriff’s Explorer Post 900 website www.post900.com or on the back of purchased Dine-Out Dollars. Dine-Out dollars can be used for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner the day of the event.

Dine-Out Dollars are available for purchase in $5.00 increments by contacting Deputy Jim Butterfield at (727) 421-3149 or youth services at (727) 453-7512.

Please see attached Dine-Out Day flyer.

Dine-Out Day Poster

Suspects:
Donell Octavis Jenkins (Arrested)
DOB:10/17/1991
Address: 451 34^th Street North, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, 1 count Deriving Support From the Proceeds of Prostitution, 1 count Renting Space to be used for Lewdness, Assignation or Prostitution, 1 count Violation of Probation, 1 count of Contributing to Delinquency of a Minor and 1 count Possession of Marijuana.

Stacy Jo Bumgarner (Arrested)
DOB: 1/24/1985
Address: 3455 2^nd Avenue North, Apt 207, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, 1 count Deriving Support From the Proceeds of Prostitution and 1 count Renting Space to be used for Lewdness, Assignation or Prostitution.

Antron Laquay Smith (Arrested)
DOB: 1/2/1983
Address: 600 40^th Street North, St. Petersburg
Charges: 1 count Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, 1 count Deriving Support From the Proceeds of Prostitution, 1 count Renting Space to be used for Lewdness, Assignation or Prostitution and 4 counts Violation of Probation.

Victims:
Two females ages 15-years-old and 16-years-old.  Per Florida State Statute 119.071(2)(h)2, no further information will be released that would tend to identify the victims.

What:
Detectives have arrested three suspects for procuring minors for prostitution.

Where:
The three suspects were arrested at the Knights Inn 2595 54^th Avenue North, St. Petersburg.

When:
The three suspects were arrested on Sunday, May 12, 2013.

How/Why:
On Sunday, May 12, 2013, patrol deputies attempted to serve a warrant on a subject at the Knights Inn in unincorporated St. Petersburg. In an attempt to locate the wanted subject, deputies knocked at the door of one of the hotel rooms. The suspect they were seeking was not present in the room. Deputies instead located two female juveniles in the room along with an adult male -later identified as 21-year-old Donell Jenkins.  Deputies also noticed marijuana in plain view.

The deputy summoned Crimes Against Children detectives for further investigation. The investigation revealed that the female victims were engaging in prostitution at the direction of Jenkins and two other suspects identified as 28-year-old Stacy Jo Bumgarner, and 30-year-old Antron Smith. According to investigators, the victims had been in the company of the three suspects for approximately 5 to 7 days.

According to detectives, Jenkins provided security to the victims and was instructed by Smith to recruit girls for the purposes of prostitution. Bumgarner assisted with the wording/posting of on-line advertisements posted on an on-line classifieds website. She further assisted by instructing the victims on how much to charge and what procedures to use when the clients arrived. Smith assisted by providing  funds to cover the room rental and fees for posting the on-line ads knowing what the funds were being used for. Jenkins would stay in the room with the two female victims while Bumgarner and Smith shared a separate room nearby.

Jenkins, Bumgarner and Smith were taken into custody and transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident.

Jenkins has been charged with 1 count Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, 1 count Deriving Support From the Proceeds of Prostitution, 1 count Renting Space to be used for Lewdness, Assignation or Prostitution, 1 count Violation of Probation, 1 count of Contributing to Delinquency of a Minor and 1 count Possession of Marijuana.

Bumgarner has been charged with 1 count Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, 1 count Deriving Support From the Proceeds of Prostitution and 1 count Renting Space to be used for Lewdness, Assignation or Prostitution.

Smith has been charged with 1 count Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, 1 count Deriving Support From the Proceeds of Prostitution, 1 count Renting Space to be used for Lewdness, Assignation or Prostitution and 4 counts Violation of Probation.

The investigation continues.

If you  have any information that may assist investigators in this case, please contact Detective Jennifer Zinge at 727-582-6200; or to remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.

See attached booking photos.

Antron Smith
Booking Photo

Stacy Jo Bumgarner
Booking Photo

Donell Jenkins
Booking Photo

Ryan Nathaniel Anderson (Arrested)
DOB: 07/06/1979
Address: 9423 Seminole Blvd, Seminole
Arrested for one-count Aggravated Child Abuse.

The victim is a 6-month-old female, who was known to the suspect. Per Fl Statute 119.071(2)(h)1, no further information will be released that would tend to identify the victim.

What:
Detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children Unit have arrested a suspect for aggravated child abuse, after the child was found to have multiple fractures to the arm.

When:
The incident occurred on May 6, 2013. The suspect was arrested the afternoon of Friday, May 10, 2013.

Where:
The crime occurred in a private residence in Seminole.

Why/How:
According to detectives, a Seminole man was arrested for one count of Aggravated Child abuse. On May 6, 2013, the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Ryan Nathaniel Anderson, lifted the child in a jerking manner by the arm resulting in an arm fracture. The 6-month-old victim was in the care of the suspect at the time of the incident. The injuries were discovered when the child was taken for a medical evaluation.

During an interview with detectives on Friday, May 10, 2013, Anderson admitted to the allegations.

Anderson was transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident, where he is being held with no bond.

The investigation continues.

Ryan Anderson
Booking Photo

Clearwater Police Department

Kevon D. Williams (Arrested)
DOB: 07/15/1996
Address: 2006 Sunset Grove Lane, Clearwater
Arrested for armed robbery

Jordan X. Freemon (Arrested)
DOB: 07/22/1995
Address: 3698 State Road 580 W., Apt B, Oldsmar
Arrested for armed robbery

What:
Deputies have arrested two suspects in connection with an armed robbery that occurred at an Oldsmar sushi restaurant on Monday, May 6th 2013.

When:
The suspects were arrested in the evening hours of May 8, 2013.

Where:
The suspects were arrested in Pinellas County.

Why/How:
Through their investigation detectives were able to identify and develop probable cause for the arrest of 16-year-old Kevon Williams and 17-year-old Jordan Freemon.

Detectives say the two entered the Boton Sushi restaurant located at 300 E. State Street in Oldsmar, each held a gun to the owners’ heads (a male and a female) and initially demanded money from register. The male victim ultimately handed one of the suspects the tip jar – the suspect dropped the jar but then picked up an undisclosed amount of cash and a lottery ticket that was contained in the jar -off the floor.

Williams and Freemon then fled in a vehicle driven by 18-year-old Jabari O. Wade. Wade was arrested on Monday evening May 6th. A witness provided a description of the vehicle and was able to provide investigators with a tag number. (See news release #13-099 for details.) Wade was arrested during a traffic stop that same evening.

Detectives say that Williams fled from the vehicle at the time of the stop on Wade. Freemon had exited the vehicle earlier in the evening.

Clearwater Police arrested Williams on a separate an unrelated warrant; and on the Sheriff’s Office armed robbery case.  Deputies arrested Freemon for armed robbery.

The two were transported to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center (PJAC).

The investigation continues.

Bryan Zuniga (Arrested)
DOB: 09/07/1992
Address: 8481 54^th Street North, Pinellas Park
Charges: Breaking or Injuring Fences, Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer, Driving While Driver’s Licenses Suspended/Revoked and Resisting an Officer Without Violence

What:
A Pinellas Park man was attacked by an alligator while fleeing Pinellas Deputies during a traffic stop.

When:
The suspect fled from deputies at approximately 2:47 a.m. on Thursday, May 9, 2013. Deputies arrested the suspect at a local hospital at approximately 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, 2013.

Where:
The suspect fled from deputies near the 7100 block of 78^th Avenue N. The suspect was attacked by the alligator near a water treatment plant between Westchester Blvd and 71^st Street N.

Why/How:
According to deputies, the suspect fled during a routine traffic stop at approximately 2:47 a.m. on May 9, 2013. Deputies attempted to pull over the suspect’s vehicle for failing to maintain a single lane. The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Bryan Zuniga, brought the vehicle to a stop and jumped out of the passenger side door. While fleeing, Zuniga broke a vinyl fence by kicking the fence line to make a hole for him to escape.

Zuniga was found a few hours later at a local hospital where he was being treated for multiple puncture wounds to his face, arm and armpit area. Zuniga advised deputies he was attacked by an alligator near a water treatment plant in unincorporated St. Petersburg.

The suspect was released from the hospital and was transported to the Pinellas County Jail without further incident.

Zuniga is being charged with Breaking or Injuring Fences, Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer, Driving While Driver’s Licenses Suspended/Revoked and Resisting an Officer Without Violence.

The investigation continues.

Bryan Zuniga Booking Photo