ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – On September 11, 33-year-old William Edward Sturtevant was stopped by a Pinellas County deputy who had discovered his 2019 silver Nissan Sentra was listed as stolen by the Tampa City police department. But a search of the vehicle opened a loaded Pandora’s box.
According to an Affidavit in Support of Application for a Search Warrant filed by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy discovered various backpacks, laptops, notebooks, manila folders, papers, magnetic ink, equipment, and instructions associated with identity theft, along with presumptive narcotics, one which was tested from the surface of a safe by the deputy and confirmed as cocaine.
The deputy initially arrested Sturtevant for “Grand Theft Motor Vehicle and Tag Not Assigned,” but shortly thereafter contacted an individual whose credit card and driver license information was listed among hundreds of other identity theft victims.
When the victim said Sturtevant was not authorized to possess such information, the deputy added charges of “Unlawful Possession of Personal Identification Information” as well as citing “Possession of a Controlled Substance.”
Although Sturtevant admitted possession of an Adidas backpack filled with laptops, electronic devices, hard drives, and cell phones, he denied knowledge and possession of the items related to identity theft information and the safe tainted with cocaine.
Several pieces of mail not belonging to Sturtevant were also found, but it is not known if they were opened or sealed. Receipts from the Red Roof Inn and five checks from business and government organizations were also among the items and equipment stacked in the back seat of the car from the floorboard to the top of the seats.
William Sturtevant was arrested again on November 2nd on a variety of charges, including forgery of bank checks, unlawful possession of another person’s ID or data, grand theft motor vehicle, and cocaine possession.
In a petition, the Sheriff’s Office seeks permission to search the laptops and storage devices for evidence of crimes that include identity theft and fraud.
The search warrant lists numerous pieces of technology and equipment to be seized and forensically analyzed.
We will update this story as more information about this case is released.
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