LAKELAND, Fla. – Eleven individuals have been arrested in Lakeland following an investigation that began with a burglary at the home of an active-duty U.S. Air Force service member stationed in North Dakota. The investigation uncovered a sprawling operation involving theft, drug possession, and environmental crimes.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) was alerted on March 16, 2025, by the 38-year-old victim, who noticed a significant spike in his electricity bill. Upon deputies’ arrival at the vacant property, they found Brindy Matos, 39, living in a shed and tampering with the meter box. Inside the shed were stolen items belonging to the victim, as well as drugs and paraphernalia. An unidentified male, later identified as Anthony Maddox, Jr., 31, fled the scene.
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A search of the property, which was secured by a fence and locked gate, revealed that the house and other buildings had been broken into. The victim’s mother’s car, a 2007 Toyota Cruiser, was missing, along with his John Deere riding lawn mower and golf cart.
The investigation led deputies to a nearby property plagued by environmental and health hazards. The property was littered with trash, scrap metal, leaking oil barrels, and raw sewage.
Five individuals were detained and charged with environmental crimes, and several others were found in possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Maddox, who was hiding on the property, was apprehended with the assistance of a K-9 unit.
Detectives determined that several individuals from the neighboring property were involved in the theft and sale of the victim’s belongings, including his mother’s car, lawn mower, golf cart, and household items. The value of the recovered stolen items exceeds $50,000.
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“The scope and brazenness of this theft and denigration of private property is terrible—these ne’er-do-wells and crankers took advantage of an active-duty Air Force member serving our country 2,000 miles away,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “Nobody has a right to go onto another’s property to steal electricity and personal property. These people are a bunch of sorry folks—destroying people’s property with no care for how their lawlessness affects others.”
The following individuals were arrested and charged with various offenses:
- Brindy Matos (39): Burglary, drug possession, and paraphernalia.
- Anthony Maddox, Jr. (31): Burglary, trespassing, resisting arrest, and warrant arrest.
- Dana Pereira (47): Littering, drug possession, operating an unpermitted landfill, and public nuisance.
- Michael Stone (38): Littering, operating an unpermitted landfill, public nuisance, burglary, theft, and drug possession.
- Jonathan Smith (21): Littering, operating an unpermitted landfill, and public nuisance.
- Beverly Reese (43): Littering, drug possession, operating an unpermitted landfill, public nuisance, and keeping a nuisance structure.
- Dwayne Harris (36): Littering, drug possession, operating an unpermitted landfill, public nuisance, and keeping a nuisance structure.
- Austin Shirah (33): Drug possession, probation violation, and paraphernalia.
- Angela Keene (53): Drug possession, prescription drug possession, and paraphernalia.
- Troy Bumkens (41): Drug possession and paraphernalia.
- Kayla Strickland (25): Drug possession, prescription drug possession, and paraphernalia.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are still searching for the stolen Toyota Cruiser, John Deere lawn mower, and golf cart.
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