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Collier sheriff

Deputies bust year’s 10th grow house

Collier County sheriff’s investigators arrested two brothers Wednesday on charges they were operating an indoor marijuana growing operation in Golden Gate Estates.

Alex Guerra, 33, of Miami, and Andres Guerra, 37, of West Palm Beach, were each charged with marijuana trafficking, possession of cocaine and possession of narcotic equipment.

The arrests mark the 10th marijuana grow house shut down by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office this year.

Investigators with the sheriff’s vice and narcotics bureau received information of a possible grow house at 3210 35th Ave. N.E., the Sheriff’s Office reported. When investigators arrived at the house Andres Guerra answered the door.

Investigators immediately detected the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the house, reports said. Alex Guerra was also inside the house.

A search of the house turned up 73 marijuana plants weighing around 53 pounds and cocaine.

Investigators also found paraphernalia associated with indoor marijuana growing operations such as high-intensity light bulbs, electrical transformers and an electrical air filter.

Woman tried to smuggle drugs, paraphernalia into jail, deputies say

An Immokalee woman being booked into jail received an additional charge after Collier County sheriff’s deputies found drugs and drug paraphernalia in both her buttocks and private areas.

Norma Cagle, 43, 740 Crestview Circle, Building 9, No. 106, was charged with smuggling contraband into a detention facility, possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of narcotic paraphernalia.

Cagle was arrested Wednesday morning during a traffic stop after a deputy found two straws in her purse that tested positive for cocaine, the Sheriff’s Office reported. While being placed under arrest the deputy told Cagle that she needed to say if she had any drugs on her, because she would receive an additional charge if she was found bringing drugs into the jail.

Cagle said she had nothing hidden on her, an arrest report said.

During the initial intake process into the jail, Cagle was again asked if she had any drugs, to which she replied “no,” deputies said. A female deputy then conducted a strip search.

During the search Cagle was seen taking a blue object from her buttocks area and attempting to hide it in her hand, reports said. Deputies determined the object was a blue pipe, commonly used for smoking marijuana.

As the search continued, Cagle was told to show her private area, which she attempted to cover, the Sheriff’s Office reported. Deputies noticed a green item inside Cagle’s private area, which turned out to be a plastic bag containing marijuana.

Chase in Everglades ends in arrest

A man who allegedly led Collier County Sheriff’s deputies on a brief high-speed car pursuit in the Everglades was arrested Wednesday.

Dwight Lee Brown, 18, 1165 Ruiz Lane, Chokoloskee, was charged with fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license.

About 5:45 p.m. Brown was behind the wheel of a white Mercedes that was traveling 105 mph southbound on State Road 29, where the posted speed is 60 mph, the Sheriff’s Office reported. A deputy in a patrol car traveling west on State Road 29 made a U-turn to go after the Mercedes, which then sped up to 140 mph.

The deputy followed the Mercedes as it passed other vehicles in an unsafe manner, reports said. The deputy closed in on the Mercedes around Janes Scenic Drive, turning on the patrol car’s emergency lights in preparation of stopping the Mercedes. The Mercedes left the roadway and slid into a ditch.

Brown jumped out of the car and ran into nearby woods. The Mercedes then started on fire.

Deputies, along with a K-9 unit, searched the area on the ground and by air for several hours. A K-9 unit dog found Brown hiding near U.S. 41 East about 10:30 p.m.

The Mercedes, which Brown did not own, was estimated at a total loss.

Battery arrests

• Casey Welch, 26, and Frank Jervey Ball, 23, both of 5050 Ave Maria Blvd., No. 116, Ave Maria, were arrested Wednesday at the library. Welch was charged with striking the face of Ave Maria student Keith Badinelli. Ball was charged with punching the face of Ave Maria student Louis J. Granado, picking him up and slamming him into the concrete.

• Dustin Keith Boylan, 22, of 14751 Pinnacle Place, Golden Gate Estates, was arrested Wednesday at home. He was charged with pushing his boyfriend, Patrick Ryan Boylan, against their car and slamming his head four or five times into the pavement.

Grand theft arrest

Randy C. Tanner, 35, of 305 Filmore St., East Naples, was arrested Wednesday at 124 Johnson Court. He was charged with breaking into the home of Michael Murphy and stealing a mattress, a fishing box, three fishing poles, an air compressor, a remote control and a hair clipper with a total value of about $550.

DUI arrests

• Cristian Carol Carmona, 47, of Sunrise, was arrested Wednesday on State Road 29 south of Oil Well Road.

• Darryl A. Weekly, 67, of 3640 14th Ave. S.E., Golden Gate Estates, was arrested Wednesday at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Golden Gate Boulevard.

• Meagan Sara Loguidice, 21, of 3200 Lacosta Lane, No. 125, East Naples, was arrested Wednesday at 7087 Radio Road. She was also charged with DUI with damage to property or person of another.

• Scott William Norris, 36, of 118 Sweetwater Lane, No. 1301, North Naples, was arrested Wednesday at 13500 U.S. 41 N. He was also charged with driving with a suspended license.

Naples police

Naples parking meters robbed, 2 sought

About 30 parking meters in the City of Naples were broken into or vandalized in early March, and police say they are on the lookout for two people who may be responsible.

The thieves got away with about $500 worth of change between March 2 and March 8 by vandalizing the meters, said Naples Detective Robert Young.

“Some have broken with unsuccessful attempts at getting the money. In others they have been successful in gaining access to the vault where the coins are,” Young said. “In other instances they’ve been completely sawed off.”

Police are on the lookout for two suspects, Bennie Teague, 39, and Sheila Carnes, 32, who are both from North Carolina, Young said. Teague has previously served jail time in Florida for breaking into coin operated devices, Young said, and Carnes has a criminal history of thefts and fraud.

“These same suspects have been seen on the east coast of Florida as well, in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County,” Young said.

Teague and Carnes may also be in the company of a third suspect named Jackie Lanier, Young said. The suspects have been driving in a green 1993 Saturn station wagon with temporary North Carolina tag number 15894497.

“There’s been obviously an increased patrol on the beach areas,” Young said. “And specifically, due to the transient nature of these suspects, we’ve also been checking hotels and motels throughout the city and county.”

Though the thieves did not get away with a huge haul from the parking meters, the cost to repair and replace the meters and pay for law enforcement to investigate the case is significant, Young said.

This is not the first time thieves have targeted parking meters in Naples. Young said the department saw similar rashes of parking meter break-ins in 2007 and 2002.

Police Beat is compiled and written by the Naples Daily News staff from oral and written reports by Naples police, Collier Sheriff‘s Office, Marco police and other agencies. Arrests indicate suspicion of crime, not guilt. To report a crime or suspicious activity in your neighborhood, call the Naples Police and Emergency Services Department at 213-4844, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 774-4434 or the Marco Island Police Department at 389-5050.