Press Releases

July 29, 2025

Deputy Burt Miller was on patrol in Williston when he saw someone speeding. He was able to pace the vehicle on SR 121 and although the driver was slowing, verified the speed was 72 in a posted 60.

The driver took an extended time to pull over. This behavior is not unusual but will make a deputy more suspicious. These suspicions were immediately verified when Deputy Miller contacted the driver. He was first overwhelmed by the smell of burned marijuana. Secondly Deputy Miller noticed the suspicious behavior of the driver, Devin Donald (9/27/94) of Williston. Donald constantly hid his hands and failed to produce identification when requested. Deputy Miller eventually obtained his identification and determined Donald was driving while his license was suspended and noted Donald also has 12 previous suspensions since 2019.

Donald was arrested and during the search of the vehicle before it was to be towed, Deputy Miller located a 9 MM handgun with a fully loaded extended magazine and an empty pill bottle that contained crack cocaine. Donald was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, driving while license suspended or revoked and tampering with evidence. Apparently Donald was trying to get rid of his crack before being stopped and that’s what took him so long to pull over.

Donald was booked into the Levy County Detention Center and posted a $55,000.00 bond.

On July 19, 2025 Deputy Patrick Lockett was conducting traffic enforcement when he observed a vehicle being operated by Dylan Crews. Deputy Lockett was familiar with Crews and knew he did not possess a valid Florida license. Crews and his passenger switched seats when Deputy Lockett activated his emergency lights to make the stop. This was observed by Deputy Lockett and Crews later admitted he switched seats with his passenger.

Deputy Lockett was told that both methamphetamine and marijuana were in the vehicle. A Chiefland Police Department K-9 unit responded to assist in the search of the vehicle. The K-9 alerted his handler to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.

Deputy Lockett conducted a search of the motor vehicle and located 2.9 grams of marijuana and 6.9 grams of methamphetamine. The search also revealed a loaded 9 millimeter pistol in the driver’s side door compartment. Crews is a convicted felon and admitted to ownership of the firearm. He also told Deputy Lockett the gun had been in the glove box but he placed it in the door panel as he was being stopped.

Crews was arrested for two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of firearm or ammo by a convicted felon, 1 count of a weapon offense being armed while in possession of a controlled substance, 1 count of possession of drug equipment and 1 count of driving while license suspended 3^rd subsequent offense. Crews was transported to the Levy County Detention Center where he is held on $330,000.00 dollar bond.

On July 19, 2025 Levy County Deputies responded to an address in Levy County in reference to a sexual battery. Deputies conducted an initial investigation and identified the perpetrator.

Detective Ryan Sullivan and Shelby Kilian assumed the investigation and conducted interviews, assisted by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates. The suspect, Jerson Garcia (5/30/2007) was interviewed and subsequently arrested. Two counts of Sexual Battery were filed and Garcia is being held on NO BOND in the Levy County Detention Center.

This appears to be a singular incident and Detectives found no evidence additional victims may be identified. The offender and the victim were acquainted prior to this crime occurring. We understand this arrest notification is vague but Marsy’s Law prohibits law enforcement from disclosing information that could be used to identify the victim.

LCSO Detectives and School Resource Deputies conducted a compliance operation which targeted Levy County sexual offender/predators in June. These compliance checks discovered Charles Elias Hengsteler Jr. (1/29/78) vacated his primary residence in Dixie County in January of 2024 forwarding his new address to a location in Levy County. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement requires he report to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office within 48 hours and provide proof of his new address in Levy County. Hengsteler failed to report.  

On June 10, 2025 Detective Ryan Sullivan obtained an arrest warrant for Hengsteler for three sex offender violations. Detective Sullivan learned Hengsteler relocated to DeSoto County during his investigation. Hengsteler never notified Levy County Sheriff’s Office or the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office of his current address.  

On July 14, 2025 Detectives and Deputies with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Hengsteler on the active Levy County warrant. Hengsteler has also charged in DeSoto County for multiple sex offender violations.

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office works cooperatively with other law enforcement agencies to track down and arrest absconded offenders. The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office arrest of Hengsteler and removal of this dangerous individual from our communities is proof of our commitment to the protection of our citizens statewide.

July 11, 2025

We don’t stop just because an arrest is made. Investigations continue regardless of the incarceration status of the suspect. Detective Cody Weaver arrested sexual predator Jeffery Lashley (9/11/59) on July 1^st for sexual predator registration violations. Detective Weaver seized Lashley’s cell phone during that investigation. This investigation continued and Detective Weaver sought a search warrant for this phone, even though Lashley was in jail and being held in custody with a $200,000 bond.

Detective Weaver found evidence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) video’s had been searched and downloaded to the phone by Lashley.  On July 10, 2025 after an extensive forensic review of the contents of Lashley’s phone was complete, 16 more charges for possession of CSAM were filed.

These new charges were reviewed by the Levy County Court Judge during first appearance this morning. He assigned an addition $800,000 dollar bond for these new charges bringing Lashley total bond to $1 million dollars.

July 10, 2025

Levy County Deputies responded to a shooting incident Tuesday evening shortly after 7:00 p.m. at a vacant property east of Bronson. Deputies arrived and located a male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was immediately transported to a local emergency room for treatment of this life threatening injury.

The investigation determined two men, Justin Stevenson (12/31/90) of Bronson and the victim were involved in an argument over their failing business venture raising animals. The victim became aware an animal had been sold without consent which led to the verbal clash. The argument escalated and Stevenson pulled a handgun he had hidden in his pocket. One shot was fired striking the victim in the back as he fled for safety.

Stevenson told deputies he fired the shot to protect his pregnant fiancé whom he believed the victim was about to attack. However, this entire incident was being recorded, unbeknownst to Stevenson. The video evidence captured by the victim’s phone was recovered and used to debunk Stevenson’s statement of defense of another.

Stevenson has been arrested for one count of attempted second degree murder with a firearm and is being held in the Levy County Detention Center with no bond. 

7/3/25

Jeffery Earl Lashley (9/11/59) was adjudicated guilty in 2004 on multiple sexual offenses thus designating him as a sexual predator. Lashley failed to remain in compliance with FDLE sexual offender/predator registration requirements.

On 6/30/25, Deputy Patrick Lockett discovered Lashley had been staying at a property in the Rosewood area that is not documented as part of his registration requirements. Deputy Lockett relayed this information as well as Lashley’s day-to-day activities to detectives. This information proved to be invaluable.

On 7/1/25, Detective Cody Weaver continued the investigation. Through the course of the investigation, multiple sexual predator violations were discovered. Detective Weaver discovered search engine history of “pedophilia” and “little girls in bathing suits”, as well as photographs of unidentified pre-pubescent girls in bathing suits found during a search of Lashley’s phone.

On 7/1/25, Detective Weaver arrested Lashley and charged him with 4 sexual predator violations. Lashley’s bond is set at $200,000. The LCSO takes sexual offender/predator violations seriously, and continually perform compliance reviews on all registered sexual offenders/predators. The LCSO knows that recidivism amongst those convicted of these heinous crimes is extremely high and want to ensure our public that we will continue to investigate these violations and make arrests.

June 30, 2025 

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office has completed a month-long operation identifying non-compliant sex offenders and sexual predators residing in Levy County. The initiative resulted in seven arrests and three additional on-going active investigations which resulted in arrest warrants being issued.  This initiative reinforces our agency’s unwavering commitment to public safety and offender accountability.

This operation began with coordinated address verification checks of the 209 registered offenders in the county. These checks were performed by LCSO School Resource Deputies while our children enjoyed summer vacation. The checks were strategically planned and executed to ensure sex offenders and predators were in compliance with the Florida Statutes that govern registration and residency requirements. Any identified violation was immediately referred to the Criminal Investigations Division Sex Offender Compliance detectives for follow-up.

Detectives thoroughly investigated and ultimately identified and charged the following individuals found to be in violation of sex offender registration laws. 

• Reginald Symonette
• Percy Spinner
• Walter Aldridge
• Elijah Wood-Toher
• Lawrence McDonald
• James Foster
• Robert Slone

Offenses ranged from:

•      Failing to report when a registered residence became vacant
•      Not registering as required with the Sheriff’s Office
•      Failing to notify authorities after moving from a registered address
•      Not reporting internet identifiers such as email addresses or social media  accounts

The Levy County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to ensuring the safety of our residents through proactive enforcement, community partnerships, and relentless investigation into those who fail to comply with sex offender registration laws.

To report a possible sex offender violation contact the Levy County Sheriff’s Office – Detective Cody Weaver (352) 486-5111 ext: 362.

In May 2024 Deputy Izabella Luzader responded to a theft report at the Bronson Pharmacy. A suspicious man intercepted and accepted a delivery of narcotics on behalf of the pharmacy. The man was identified as California native Victor Rivera (8/14/98), who had no association with the Bronson Pharmacy. Rivera left with over $3,800 worth of drugs prior to law enforcement arriving on scene.

Deputy Luzader previously identified Rivera after responding to a suspicious vehicle call prior to the theft report being filed. Because of her diligence during this call, Rivera may not have been identified in this case. Essentially, the theft would have remained unsolved.

Detective Ryan Sullivan assisted agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Detectives conducted follow up interviews, analyzed surveillance and accessed electronic data relevant to the case. The investigation led to a warrant being issued for Rivera’s arrest for grand theft of a controlled substance. A bond of $100,000 was assigned to the warrant. The United States Marshals Service (USMS) was asked to assist in locating and apprehending Rivera.

On 6/20/25, the Alma City Police Department in California assisted by the USMS located and arrested Rivera on this outstanding warrant. Rivera is expected to be extradited to the Levy County Detention Center in the near future. This investigation also discovered Rivera is suspected of similar crimes throughout other cities in the United States. The United States Department of Homeland Security is assisting Detective Ryan Sullivan in further these additional investigations.