Press Releases

May 31, 2024

On May 30, 2024 shortly after 4:00 p.m. multiple 911 calls reporting a stabbing were received by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division. Deputies were dispatched to the area of SE 132 Court in Morriston where they were told a known suspect attacked two people at their home, inflicting multiple stab and slash wounds.

The victim(s) told deputies the suspect had been to their home before and borrowed their phone to make a call and were able to provide his name. Other than this, they did not know him. The victims were able to escape the attacker and fled to neighbors’ homes nearby. The suspect fled prior to law enforcement’s arrival.

Deputies received a second report from a nearby home and upon arrival found two more individuals suffering from blunt force object wounds inflicted by weapons of opportunity. The suspect, also known to these victims had fled this location.

The suspect, Justin R. Byrant (6/29/88) of Morriston was located by deputies and Williston Police Department Officers in a wooded area nearby one of the victim’s homes and taken into custody. The motive for these apparent random and violent attacks is still under investigation. All four victims have been taken to nearby trauma units and are being treated. Their current conditions are reported as stable.  

Detectives have determined that Bryant was known to all four victims and had been “hanging out” with two of them earlier in the day. Detectives pieced together Bryant’s activities earlier that day and discovered that he took a vehicle from a known associate. He drove this vehicle to a home in Levy County where he abandoned it and stole a truck. He then drove the truck to another home approximately one mile away and attempted to steal a side by side. This theft was unsuccessful and he apparently walked away.

This was a large crime scene with eight separate locations that required extensive coordination between law enforcement, Levy County Department of Public Safety, Williston Police Department and ShandsCair. This cooperative effort enabled rapid care for the victim(s) and quick apprehension of the suspect.

Bryant has been booked into the Levy County Detention Center where he is charged with three counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated battery and burglary of a dwelling. Additional charges are expected to be filed.

May 30, 2024

On May 25, 2024 Deputy Steven Williamson was dispatched to a complaint that Joshua R. Carter (1/25/2002) held his former girlfriend against her will at a location in Morriston. Deputy Williamson, through his investigation, determined Carter lured the female to the home in Morriston. The two argued and when she attempted to leave, he pushed her onto a couch, took her glasses and threatened to kill her and then himself. Carter chambered a round into the firearm he was holding and refused to let the female leave. The victim was able to escape some time later after reasoning with Carter to let her leave.

Deputy Williamson was able to contact Carter by phone and determined he fled the jurisdiction to Citrus County. Carter agreed to return to Levy County and speak to Deputy Williamson and was subsequently arrested.

Deputy Williamson contacted Detective Corporal C.J. Perryman to assist in the investigation. A search warrant was obtained for the home where the victim had been held. Detectives recovered the loaded firearm described by the victim as well as other evidence of this crime.

Carter is being held with no bond at the Levy County Detention Center. He is charged with false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a firearm, battery, theft and use of a two way communication device to commit a felony.  

May 1, 2024

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on April 30^th Deputy Nick Duncan was alerted to a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) for a stolen truck issued by the Chiefland Police Department (CPD). CPD officers responded to a domestic violence call where the victim reported being in an argument with her boyfriend while driving in town. The victim was battered then forcefully removed from her vehicle by the boyfriend who then stole her truck and fled the scene.

Deputy Duncan saw the stolen vehicle driven by the suspect southbound on US 19, north of the Town of Inglis. He pulled in behind the truck and turned on his overhead emergency lights signaling the driver to pull over. The driver did pull over initially, but hit the gas and fled from Deputy Duncan.

Deputy Duncan pursued the fleeing driver at speeds in excess of 100 mph southbound on US 19. Deputy Kelly Kimpel was able to position herself in the median at the outskirts of Inglis and deploy Stop Sticks, effectively puncturing the front driver’s side tire of the fleeing vehicle. This did not deter the fleeing felon who continued south on US 19 into Citrus County. His reckless disregard for safety, even after his tire disintegrated, endangered all other motorists on the road. The suspect continued his effort to evade Deputy Duncan by swerving around traffic and running red lights as they entered into Crystal River. The suspect turned onto SR 44, made a few evasive turns then lost control on NE 1^st Street, crashing into mailboxes and a power pole then into a tree before coming to a stop. Deputy Duncan used his push bumper to pin the driver’s door closed and prevented the driver from fleeing on foot. The pursuit totaled approximately 20 miles.

The driver, identified as Daniel Maxwell (11/23/83) of Crystal River was taken into custody. He was booked into the Citrus County Detention Center and has been charged with aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude LEO, grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving on a suspended driver’s license. He will be held in Citrus County awaiting transfer to the Levy County Detention Center.    

April 29, 2024

At 1:30 a.m. this morning a family awoke to the sound of breaking glass. The husband armed himself and went outside to investigate as his wife looked at their home surveillance system. To her horror she saw a man on their porch and immediately called 911.

Deputies arrived and immediately saw the armed homeowner outside. The deputy did not know he was the homeowner and after a tense few moments, the homeowner lowered his gun. The deputy didn’t know he had the intruder at gunpoint. The intruder fled and was able to make his escape.

The on-scene investigation determined the intruder fired a handgun through the sliding glass door, shattering the window. The bullet lodged into the backrest of their couch.

Undeterred, the homeowners took to social media posting pictures of the suspect their surveillance camera captured. At 7:30 this morning the homeowners were contacted by a person who identified the suspect as Fransisco Calvillo. They immediately contacted the LCSO with this information.

Deputies responded to the home of Fransisco Calvillo (8/6/94) of Bronson and took him into custody. Additional evidence was collected and interviews confirmed Calvillo was the person who fled from the homeowner earlier this morning. Calvillo has been arrested for shooting into an occupied dwelling, armed trespassing and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bond has not yet been assigned.

April 29, 2024

On April 27, 2024 Deputy Rowdy Roberts observed a vehicle traveling on NE 35 Street in Williston at a speed above the posted 25 mph speed limit. Deputy Roberts verified the vehicle’s speed at 47 mph with his radar and conducted a traffic stop. The driver pulled into the Toad Stool Bar and immediately fled into the woods.

The passenger, identified as Joshua Lamonte Monroe (8/13/96) of Williston walked away from the traffic stop scene and into the bar. His suspicious behavior when he entered the bar captured the attention of an employee inside. The employee saw Monroe walk directly to a garbage can in the back of the building and place a white package inside. The employee summoned Officer S. Goodson of the Williston Police Department who arrived to assist Deputy Roberts. Officer Goodson recovered the package and the contents were identified as cocaine and methamphetamines that were pre-packaged for street level sales. Monroe was then detained. Deputy Roberts reviewed the surveillance video from inside the bar that clearly captured Monroe placing the illegal drugs inside the trash can.

The car Monroe had been riding in was inventoried prior to it being towed from the scene. Inside deputies found a black backpack in the passenger seat that contained Monroe’s driver’s license and more drugs, including fentanyl.

Deputies located a handgun under the driver’s seat during the inventory. The gun, a FN 5.7 X 28, was loaded with armor piercing bullets. These bullets can be used is to penetrate the body armor law enforcement officers wear.

Sheriff McCallum said, “This is the type of proactive law enforcement efforts LCSO deputies are trained to conduct. Saturday night Deputy Roberts removed dangerous drugs and a lethal firearm off of our streets making that neighborhood safer for the citizens and our law enforcement officers. Great work Deputy Roberts!”

The driver has not been captured. Efforts to identify and take him into custody are still on-going. The image attached is that of the driver. If anyone in our community can positively identify him or provide his current location they are asked to call Lt. Mike Narayan at 352-486-5111 ext. 267. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at 1-877-349-8477. You could be eligible for a cash reward.    

April 26, 2024

Keen detective work led to the arrest of Adam William Hart 8/8/93 of Dallas County, Alabama today in Fanning Springs. Hart was wanted by authorities in Alabama for sodomy in the first degree and sex abuse of a child under 12. Hart fled from Alabama to avoid arrest. The detective assigned the case in Alabama tracked Hart to Levy County and contacted the LCSO Criminal Investigations Division. LCSO detectives located the motel he was registered at and his vehicle based on the work done by the Alabama detective. LCSO detectives then set up surveillance and took Hart into custody earlier yesterday.

LCSO detectives report Hart attempted to disguise not only himself, but also the vehicle he drove. Hart removed the emblem from his Lexus and replaced it with a Toyota emblem to throw authorities off his track. He also changed his appearance by shaving his head and beard.

Hart will remain in custody at the Levy County Detention Center awaiting extradition to Alabama to face his charges there.    

April 22, 2024

On Friday, April 19, 2024 the Levy County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division working in cooperation with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office executed a Polk County arrest warrant and a Levy County search warrant at the home of Tavaries D. Norris (11/17/81) of Williston. Norris was wanted by Polk County Detectives on an active warrant for the crime of organized scheme to defraud where he, along with two other men, defrauded victims out of over $20,000 in high end merchandise. 

Levy County Detectives and the Tactical Response Unit (TRU) executed the search warrant where they located and detained Norris at his home. The search of the home and property resulted in the recovery of three firearms, ammunition, a stolen 2024 Polaris four wheeler and a stolen flatbed semi-trailer. Norris, a convicted felon who is currently on Federal Probation, was arrested for four counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and is being held in the Levy County Detention Center on a $500,000.00 bond. Norris will be held in Levy County before being sent to Polk County on the charges he has pending in their county.