Inside Scoop

SORRENTO, Florida—A burglary suspect who was being chased by the homeowner he attempted to steal an ATV from, dropped his phone and ran right out of his slides last week; and the found phone led to the capture of both him and his partner in crime, according to an arrest affidavit.

 Before daylight Thursday, a Sorrento resident observed a male, later identified as Tyler Ray Trapp, 22, enter her back porch and take an ATV. The woman woke her husband, who went outside and confronted Trapp.

As Trapp attempted to leave the property, the male victim yelled and Trapp took off on foot, running out of his white Nike slides and dropping his phone, according to the affidavit.

The victims turned the phone and slides over to Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies and a detective took over the case. After obtaining a search warrant for the phone and looking through it, the detective determined the phone belonged to Trapp—the phone was logged into all his social media accounts, a T-Mobile account was registered to Trapp, text messages referred to him by name and he found a text conversation between Trapp and Jeremy Bradford Williams, 41, discussing the planned theft of the ATV.

That text conversation contained several statements, including: “I have a gig where we can get an ATV and a dump trailer; how are we going to get the trailer and the ATV out of the area; lets just get the ATV tonight because my friend won’t let me borrow the wrecker for the trailer; do we need bolt cutters; will we need a key for the ATV; are you sure there are no cameras at this house; where will you be waiting to pick me up in case something goes wrong.”

A neighbor of the victims who own the ATV had a dump trailer in their driveway, the detective noted in the affidavit.

After gathering evidence from the dropped phone, the detective began surveilling Williams’ residence less than 24 hours after the attempted burglary of the ATV. A red truck pulled up to the residence and LCSO spoke to a man who was there to buy tools he had already partially paid for. He was released and shortly after Trapp and Williams pulled up and were detained. Williams was “misleading” during the interview and would not give his “full involvement” in the burglary, the detective noted. Trapp, however, was more forthcoming. He admitted to the burglary of the ATV and told LCSO there were several stolen items on Williams’ property, including the tools the man came to buy earlier. Those were stolen from Home Depot, according to the affidavit. He also said they stole items from Tractor Supply Co.

Williams gave consent to search his property and the stolen items were located and taken into evidence. The car the pair were in was registered to a couple in Missouri and Williams originally said it belonged to his wife. He later recanted that statement and said he did not know who it belonged to. Trapp said Williams obtained the car, but he thinks it might be stolen and just not reported yet. Trapp also said Williams is involved in drug activity and there may be drugs in the car.

LCSO searched the car before it was towed away, and a black box was found in the car that contained Xanax, fentanyl and 66 grams of methamphetamine. Williams also had $1,600 cash.

Trapp and Williams were both arrested for burglary, grand theft, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and dealing in stolen property. Williams is facing additional charges of trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of Xanax and possession drug paraphernalia.

Trapp was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he is being held on $40,000 bond. Williams is being held at LCJ on $56,5000 bond.

Trapp was arrested earlier this month for burglary and possession of burglary tools after Tavares Police caught him in the garden center of Ace Hardware, 509 South Duncan Drive, shortly before 3 a.m. Feb. 12. He was released on $7,000 bond in that case and that case is still pending.