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Press Releases

High School Cheerleader Coach Arrested

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In December of 2023 administrators from the Chiefland Middle/High School reported suspected theft from fund raising activities hosted by the Chiefland Cheerleading team. The coach, Megan Del Castillo (8/7/90) was responsible for collecting and making deposits into the team accounts after fund raising efforts were complete. The deposits did not match expected earnings.

Detective Rob Bowers met with administrators and financial officers with the Levy County School Board and began an audit. Initial inquiries surmised the sales and fees versus deposits did not match and estimated over $11,000 was missing.

In February 2024 Detective Bowers met with Del Castillo who initially denied any wrongdoing. Shortly after this meeting Del Castillo amended her statement admitting she kept some monies, but nothing close to $11,000.  Del Castillo cooperated with Detective Bowers, participated in several meetings and offered documentation to assist the investigation. Del Castillo never produced documents to clarify these discrepancies and in April of 2024 could not be located by Detective Bowers for further comment.

Detective Bowers worked closely with the School Board Finance Department and issued subpoenas to several financial institutions as he furthered his investigation. In late November of 2024 the documentation was obtained to conduct a forensic audit of the fundraising accounts and those accounts owned by Del Castillo. Detective Bowers with the assistance of the finance department was able to determine $11,493.90 of funds derived from cheer fees, fundraisers and bus fees known to be delivered to Del Castillo were not deposited. These monies are believed to  be used for Del Castillo’s personal gain. He attempted to locate Del Castillo and discovered she had moved from the area. Numerous efforts to contact her failed.

In January of 2025 Detective Bowers secured a warrant for Del Castillo’s arrest for scheme to defraud. Del Castillo was located in Lake Placid, Florida and arrested by Highlands County Sheriff’s Office on this warrant. Her bond was set at $10,000 and no appearance in Levy County Courts has been scheduled as of this release.    

LCSO FINANCE MANAGER TERMINATED

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On January 6, 2025, Sheriff Bobby McCallum terminated the Levy County Sheriff’s Office Finance Director, Christina “Nicole” Gore.  The termination occurred after LCSO personnel discovered irregularities in credit card statements and other Agency funds.  Ms. Gore has been employed in the LCSO Finance Division since June of 2015.  She was promoted to Finance Director on December 30, 2019.  

At Sheriff McCallum’s request, the Gainesville Regional Office of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has begun a criminal investigation of the matter.  While Sheriff McCallum is very disappointed in what has occurred in this situation he will not be able to provide any significant details until the conclusion of the FDLE criminal investigation.  

Absconded Kentucky Sex Offender Arrested

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January 2, 2024

Lawrence Paggeot (2/4/62) notified Kentucky authorities of his intent to move to Marion County, Florida. He was told he must register his address with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office upon his arrival. Kentucky did not receive confirmation Paggeot registered in Florida and contacted MCSO. MCSO Detectives went to the address Paggeot provided Kentucky to find the property abandoned. MCSO discovered Paggeot was living at a residence in Levy County and contacted the LCSO Sex Offender Unit.

LCSO Detectives responded to 11190 SE 201 Street in Inglis and located Paggeot on 12/31/24. He initially gave detectives a false name but his true identity was soon discovered. Paggeot had not registered as a sex offender living in Levy County with the LCSO and was subsequently arrested. He is being held in the Levy County Detention Center in lieu of a $15,000.00 bond.

New Year’s Eve Homicide

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January 1, 2025

A New Year’s Eve domestic argument resulted in the death of Jeremy Miller, (50 yoa), from Chiefland. At approximately 5:00 p.m., deputies received a 911 call and responded to an address in Manatee Farms Subdivision. The 911 caller told dispatchers that two brothers were involved in an argument and one shot the other. Deputies arrived to find Jeremy Miller suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The suspect, Michael Miller (33 yoa), was hiding inside a shed on the property where they both lived. After a short stand off, Michael Miller surrendered to law enforcement. Michael Miller was charged with murder. He will be held in the Levy County Detention Center pending his first appearance in court.

Tactical Response Unit – After Action Report

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December 6, 2024

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Unit (TRU) executed a search warrant at 10851 NE 109 Street in the University Oaks Subdivision yesterday afternoon. The warrant was seeking to apprehend a potentially armed and dangerous individual wanted in another jurisdiction and recover evidence related to that crime.

TRU team members made multiple PA announcements ordering any occupant of the home to exit peacefully. No individual was found inside the home after these announcements were made. Multiple items of evidence were seized from the home that will aid the investigation. The subject sought in this investigation was not found at the home and is believed to have fled this area. There is no known threat to our community.

We appreciate our community giving us the space needed to conduct this investigation. Many snapped pictures as they drove past to post on Social Media.  Comments that there was a barricaded subject at this home were incorrect. This was a well-planned operation giving top priority to our citizen’s in this community’s safety as well as our deputies. This operation was completed within a few hours and this neighborhood can now return to their quiet, peaceful lifestyle.

Dangerous Felon Apprehended

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November 22, 2024

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office along with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office was seeking to apprehend Julius Wright (9/20/97) of Bronson for multiple felony warrants. Wright was released from custody on 7/20/24 after an arrest for multiple thefts, home burglaries and weapons offenses and court ordered to remain at his residence in Bronson. The courts further ordered he wear an ankle monitoring device. Wright cut the monitoring device off several weeks ago and went on another crime spree.

Wright is a person of interest in multiple open burglary investigations the Levy County Sheriff’s Office is conducting in the Bronson and Williston area. In addition, the LCSO had secured six (6) warrants for his arrest for failure to appear in court from his arrest in July. The Alachua County Sheriff’s sought to apprehend Wright from a recent burglary investigation where he fled from ASO deputies and was able to avoid arrest.   

LCSO Detectives received a tip yesterday at 1:30 p.m. that Wright was seen entering a home in Bronson. Detectives arrived and secured the perimeter of the home, suspecting Wright was hiding inside. Wright is known to carry firearms and evidence was found that he was possibly in possession of a gun at the time the house was surrounded. This necessitated a response from the LCSO Tactical Response Unit when he would not surrender. LCSO sought assistance from the ASO SWAT team and a robot was used to safely search the home around 7:30 p.m. Wright was not found inside.

This did not end the search as Wright was found less than an hour later hiding in another home several blocks away. He was safely taken into custody and is being held in the Levy County Detention Center. Wright has additionally been charged with tampering with a court ordered monitoring device and resisting arrest. His bond has not yet been set.  

Drug Search Warrant Executed

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November 20, 2024

 

On November 4, 2024 members of the Levy County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 10730 NE 114th St Archer, Florida.  The warrant concluded a month’s long investigation related to the sale of illegal narcotics at this residence. Detectives detained multiple people who were located inside the home and several individuals found inside various vehicles parked on the property.

   

The following subjects were arrested as a result of the search warrant and subsequent investigation:

 

Helen Leo (2/4/67) of Archer, the home owner, was arrested for possession of fentanyl more than 4 grams, possession of controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams, possession of methamphetamine over 14 grams, possession of weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  She is being held on a $275,000.00 bond.

Joseph Shirey (10/8/98) of Williston was located in a vehicle parked outside of the home.  He was arrested for possession drug paraphernalia. He posted a $3,000.00 bond and has been released. 

Gregory Hopkins (12/28/67) of Williston was located inside the home and arrested for resisting arrest without violence. He posted a $2,500.00 bond and has been released.

 

The following narcotics were seized by Detectives and the Crime Scene Unit during the search of the property:   

  • Methamphetamine – 256.59 grams
  • Fentanyl:  63.37 grams
  • Marijuana:  134.04 grams
  • Prescription pills including; Oxycodone, Morphine, Buprenorphine, Tramadol, and Lisinopril. 

In addition to the seized narcotics, a handgun along with ammunition was recovered from the home. Multiple items of drug paraphernalia including various plastic bags, scales, pipes, pill containers and Narcan, which is used when a person overdoses, was located and collected during the search of the property.   

Murder Conviction and Sentence

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Christian Cardona-Cirilo
Omar Rodirguez-Ortiz

November 18, 2024

In August of 2019 the Levy County Sheriff’s Office responded to a citizen’s report of finding a deceased person along the side of the road in Morriston. Deputies and Detectives responded to the scene to begin collecting evidence and start their investigation. Detectives determined the subject had been murdered in a different location and his remains were dumped into the ditch in Levy County. Positive identification of the deceased male was not initially learned.

The investigation gained traction when a burned vehicle was discovered in Ocala. LCSO joined forces with Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Gainesville Field Office which led to a suspect list being developed. The cooperative efforts of these investigating agencies led to four arrests in connection with this murder some months after the investigation was launched. The victim, identified as Jafet Padin Rodriguez, a 33 year old resident of Ocala, was murdered by Omar Rodriquez-Ortiz 10/5/81, Christian Cardona-Cirilo 8/6/92, Kesia Mundo 3/28/83 and Jesse Torres 5/6/88 because of a mistaken identity. All four defendants were held in the Levy County Detention Center awaiting trial.

Assistant State Attorney’s Glenn Bryan and Daniel Owen of the 8th Judicial State Attorney’s Office worked for years preparing this case for trial. Defendants Kesia Mundo and Jesse Torres accepted State negotiated plea offers. Mundo received 15 years and was charged with conspiracy to commit 1st Degree Murder and Torres received 20 years and was charged with conspiracy to commit 1st Degree Murder.

Defendants Omar Rodriquez-Ortiz and Christian Cardona-Cirilo rejected all offers and chose to take their case to trial. The trial that began in October 2024 and lasted two weeks, saw evidence presented to the jury by ASA Bryan and ASA Owen that proved beyond a reasonable doubt both were guilty.

Sentencing for both defendants was held on 11/7/2024 in front of 8th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William Davis. Rodriquez-Ortiz was sentenced to LIFE for 1st Degree Murder followed by a consecutive 30 years for Conspiracy to Commit 1st Degree Murder. Cardona-Cirilo received a 30 year sentence for 2nd Degree Murder.

Sheriff McCallum commented that the work performed by these Detectives and the skillful presentation of the evidence by Assistant State Attorney’s Glenn Bryan and Daniel Owen led to these four predators being removed from our communities. Detectives began their investigation with the unidentified remains of a Hispanic male who was thrown into a ditch. They worked diligently to identify the suspect(s) and take them into custody. Our attorney’s worked tirelessly assembling the case to present to this jury who unanimously voted for the conviction. The efforts of my Detectives and our Assistant State Attorney’s hopefully will bring a sense of justice and peace to the family of the victim in this case.  

Couple Arrested for Child Abuse

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November 12, 2024

On November 5, 2024 a child was brought to a local medical facility for an examination due to complaints of arm pain. Medical staff observed bruising over much of the child’s body in various stages of healing. The child was also diagnosed with two fractures, one in each wrist. All of these injuries were indicative of child abuse. Medical staff contacted the Child Abuse Hotline as required to report their findings.

Levy County Detectives and Victim Advocates responded to the medical facility where the child was being treated to assist the Department of Children and Family Services. The investigation determined that child was targeted for abuse by Dakota W. Lee (11/24/2000) of Chiefland. Initial statements taken by Detectives from Lee produced only denials.  

Additional medical examinations were completed by the Child Protection Team at UF and more evidence of long term extreme physical abuse was collected. Lee was confronted with the new evidence and after making some admissions was taken into custody on November 7, 2024. Lee has been charged with aggravated child abuse and is being held on no bond.

As a part of this same investigation, Marilyn Wolff (5/22/98) of Chiefland was arrested on November 12, 2024. She was transported to the Levy County Detention Center and has been charged with aggravated child abuse. She is scheduled for her first appearance before the court tomorrow morning.      

Burglary Defendant Sentenced

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November 1, 2024                 

On October 23, 2024 Arthur Lee Jones Jr. (4/28/98) of Bronson accepted a negotiated plea offer for nine (9) years incarceration in the Florida Department of Corrections for multiple crimes. Jones Jr. was arrested multiple times in 2023 and 2024 for several residential burglaries in the Fanning Springs area, grand theft, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and domestic battery cases.

Jones has been in custody since April of 2024 and was transferred from the Levy County Detention Center to the Department of Corrections yesterday to begin his sentence. This sentence hopefully gives closure to the citizens he has victimized and will allow them to rest at night knowing he cannot harm them further.