Contact: Lt.

Tim Wood MEDIA RELEASE

Telephone: 850-227-1115
April 9, 2019
Email: twood@gcso.fl.gov

GCSO LAW ENFORCEMENT SUMMARY

MARCH 25, 2019 – APRIL 7, 2019

On Tuesday, March 26, Deputy G. Desrosier transported Charles Lamar Goodin (36) and
Indio Lightfoot Roldan (37) from the Bay County Jail to the Gulf County Detention Facility.
Goodin was transported on a court order to attend judicial proceedings and Roldan was
wanted on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Roldan was on probation for two counts
of Possession of a Controlled Substance.

On Wednesday, March 27, Austin Richard Hysmith (33) was arrested at the Gulf County
Detention Facility on a warrant for Violation of Probation on the original charge of
Resisting Law Enforcement with Violence. Hysmith was already incarcerated for
unrelated charges.

On Monday, April 1, Melvin Benjamin Martin Jr. (29) was arrested at the Gulf County
Sheriff’s Office substation in Wewahitchka after turning himself in on a warrant for
Violation of Probation. Martin was on probation for four counts of Sale of Cocaine.
Martin was transported to the Gulf County Detention Facility.

On Monday, April 1, Deputy Chase Harvey went to the 500 block of Hardy Street to
execute an arrest warrant on Rodney Craig Smith (53) for Domestic Battery. The warrant
stems from an incident investigated by Deputy J. Page on March 24, 2019 where Smith
had battered a co-habitant. Smith was apprehended by Deputy Harvey and transported
to the Gulf County Detention Facility.

On Tuesday, April 2, Loretta Lesha Swearengin (30) was arrested at the Gulf County
Detention Facility on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Swearengin is on probation for
Possession of Methamphetamine (four counts).

On Wednesday, April 3, Deputy M. Peek and Investigator S. Ferrell conducted a traffic

stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Hwy 22 and Winnie Street for having an expired
license plate that expired in 2001. Deputies contacted the driver of the vehicle who

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identified himself as Sebastian Jones. A passenger in the vehicle was identified as Kiyana
Serena Mike (24) from Texas. During the course of the traffic stop, Deputy Peek deployed
K-9 Brix to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. Brix alerted, indicating the presence
of an odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle. A probable cause search ensued and an array
of narcotics were found in the vehicle. During the search a wallet was found with a
driver’s license belonging to Jones, who had provided false information to the deputies.
Jones’ real name is Alexander James Pusey (33) from Panama City. Pusey was placed
under arrest and charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, Trafficking MDMA
(commonly known as Ecstasy), Possession of Cocaine, Possession of a Controlled
Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While
License Suspended or Revoked, Attaching Registration Tag Not Assigned, and Providing
False Information to Law Enforcement. Mike was also placed under arrest and charged
with Possession of Cocaine and Possession of Prescription Drugs without a Prescription.
Pusey also had an active warrant out of Bay County for Violation of Probation.

On Wednesday, April 3, Deputy A. White was assigned to investigate a report of a theft

that occurred at the Depot Creek boat landing. The victim reported that while his truck
was parked at the landing, between the hours of 7:30 AM and 2:45 PM, someone had
stolen a Rubbermaid tool box from the back of truck. No suspects have been developed
at this time.

On Wednesday, April 3, Deputy M. Peek and Investigator S. Ferrell executed an arrest

warrant on North Deer Avenue in Howard Creek by arresting Soni Jo Rouse (38). Rouse
was wanted for Violation of Probation on the original charges of Possession of cocaine
and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Rouse was transported to the Gulf County
Detention Facility.

On Friday, April 5, Deputy M. Manley, travelled to the Bay County Jail to arrest Jerry
Lenorah Booker (37) on a Gulf County warrant for Violation of Probation. Booker was on
probation for felony Criminal Mischief. Booker was transported to the Gulf County
Detention Facility.

On Friday, April 5, Deputy M. Peek and Investigator S. Ferrell arrested Nicholas R. Scoggins
(25) in the 1000 block of West River Road in Wewahitchka. Scoggins had a warrant for
his arrest for Violation of Probation on the original charges of Possession of a Controlled
Substance (four counts). Scoggins was transported to the Gulf County Detention Facility.

On Saturday, April 6, Deputy M. Peek and Investigator S. Ferrell conducted a traffic stop
on a vehicle being operated by James Austin Norris (22). The vehicle was stopped because
it was known that Norris had active warrants for his arrest. Norris was wanted for Grand
Theft and Dealing in Stolen Property. He was also wanted for Violation of Probation on
the original charges of Possession of Methamphetamine. Norris was placed under arrest
and taken to the Gulf County Detention Facility.

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On Sunday, April 7, Deputy C. Harvey was patrolling on Jones Homestead Road when he
observed Willie Edward Pelt (36) riding a bicycle near the intersection of W. Rogers. Pelt
had an active warrant for his arrest for Violation of Probation on the original charge of
Grand Theft. When Deputy Harvey turned around to confront Pelt, Pelt eluded him.
Deputy Harvey searched the area and found Pelt hiding behind some storage units on
Ponderosa Pine Drive. Deputy Harvey told Pelt he was under arrest and Pelt replied “You
can’t take me to jail today”. Deputy Harvey commanded that he surrender himself and
he replied “not today” and fled on foot. Deputy Harvey chased Pelt until he got close
enough to deploy a Taser. Pelt stopped running and was placed in handcuffs. During a
search of Pelt’s pant pockets, Deputy Harvey found a glass pipe with methamphetamine
inside it. As a result of the Taser deployment, Pelt was medically cleared of any injures
and transported to the Gulf County Detention Facility. Along with the warrant, Pelt was
charged with Resisting Law Enforcement without Violence, Possession of
Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

If you have any information regarding the aforementioned cases, please contact the Gulf
County Sheriff’s Office at 850-227-1115, 850-639-5717, or remain anonymous by calling
Crime Stoppers at 850-785-TIPS.

Prepared by: Lt. Tim Wood

Approved by: Sheriff Mike Harrison

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