CLERMONT, Florida—An 8-year-old boy was arrested Saturday after his foster brother told deputies he choked him and swung a kitchen knife at his throat, cutting his neck, according to an arrest affidavit.
Inside Lake is not naming the boy due to his age.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at a home in unincorporated Clermont after receiving a weapons complaint shorty before 4:30 p.m. Saturday. When they arrived, a witness said the boy cut another child’s throat and was outside without the knife. Deputies found the boy outside banging on the front door of the home, “emotionally crying” and stating he did not want to be taken away. As deputies attempted to handcuff the boy, he pulled away multiple times and kicked a deputy in the stomach as they placed him in the back of a patrol car, according to the affidavit.
The victim, whose age is not listed in the affidavit, told LCSO the 4-feet tall, 100-pound boy jumped on him and elbowed him in the stomach earlier in the day. The victim approached the boy later and tried to apologize and the boy began to scream at him. The boy then grabbed the victim with both hands and squeezed the victim’s throat until he could not breathe. The victim kicked the boy and he released him and the victim restrained him by holding him down. The boy grabbed a kitchen knife and walked outside, according to the affidavit.
The victim followed him outside and attempted to speak with him and he swung the knife at him, cutting his neck and a neighborhood friend disarmed the boy and gave it to an adult witness. The boy then grabbed a stick from inside and tried to hit the victim, but was stopped by multiple children. The boy asked where the knife was and said he was going to kill everyone, and went back into the house to look for another knife, the affidavit states.
The victim had a laceration to his neck consistent with his story, the arresting deputy noted in the affidavit.
The boy, who has a history of violence, was arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, battery by strangulation, battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault and resisting arrest. He was transported to the Lake County Jail and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
EUSTIS, Florida—Eustis Police Department is investigating a crash that sent a vehicle into a ditch near David Walker Drive and U.S. Highway 441 Sunday morning.
Yash Patel told Eustis Police Department he was traveling down U.S. Highway 441 when a vehicle pulled out in front of him from the 7-Eleven/Dunkin Donuts exit, and he swerved to avoid it. He lost control, crashed through the guardrail and went down the embankment. He was not injured.
He told EPD the other vehicle fled towards Tavares, and a description of the vehicle was not available. If you have information on Sunday’s crash, call EPD at 352-357-4121.
A man told Eustis Police Department he swerved to avoid a vehicle that pulled out on front of him and crashed through a guardrail in Eustis Sunday morning. PHOTO: Shannon Cook
TAVARES, Florida—A Clermont woman wanted for grand theft of a cosmetic procedure she received more than two years ago was finally picked up on the warrant in Hillsborough County and transferred to Lake County last week.
In November 2020, The Spa at South Lake, 1900 Don Wickham Drive, Clermont performed a cosmetic procedure on Eboni Nykia Wheeler, 41, and when it was time to pay the $1,098 bill, Wheeler said she did not have her credit card with her and gave The Spa a backup credit card number. Wheeler did not give employees the actual card, a Clermont Police Department detective noted in the probable cause affidavit.
Wheeler, who has several aliases and gave the business the last name Williams, was informed if she did not settle her bill by the following morning, the backup card number would be charged, according to the affidavit. Wheeler said she would go to her mother’s home, retrieve the card and provide the business with the card number that night, but she never called.
The following morning an employee attempted to charge the backup card number Wheeler provided and the card was declined multiple times, the affidavit states. The business contacted Wheeler and she reportedly said her husband would be transferring funds to her backup credit card because her main card was maxed out. Wheeler failed to contact the business and they attempted to charge the card again on Dec. 2, 2020. Wheeler’s husband then contacted the business, angry because he claimed the multiple attempts to charge the card resulted in the card being flagged for fraud.
Eboni Wheeler PHOTO: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
More than a week later, an employee contacted Williams again and left her a message stating they would call law enforcement if Williams did not contact them by the end of the day.
Seventeen days after the procedure—a CPD detective contacted Wheeler and she admitted to having the procedure done and told the detective she intended to pay as soon as the bank released the hold on her funds and she would call the bank and the detective two days later.
“On December 16, 2020, after getting off the phone with Eboni (Wheeler,) I did some further research on her, and I discovered Williams is one of her aliases. Eboni has been arrested multiple times stemming as far back as 2010, to the point she was sentenced on August 9, 2018, spending one year and eight months, in prison for multiple felonies to include organized fraud, grand theft, worthless checks and obtaining lodging with intent to defraud,” the CPD detective noted in the affidavit.
A warrant was issued for Wheeler in January 2021 and she was picked up in Hillsborough County and transferred to the Lake County Jail Thursday, where she is being held on $2,000 bond.
MONTVERDE, Florida—A Montverde man is being held on no bond after a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) resulted in a search warrant that revealed more than 1,000 digital child pornography images, some with children younger than 4 years old, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) began investigating Joseph A. Greene, 64, after NCMEC reported Greene had uploaded approximately 500 child pornography images to his Google account between Feb. 18, 2022 and Oct. 25, 2022. FDLE executed a search warrant for his account and found graphic images depicting young girls in various sex acts alone, and with adults, the affidavit states.
There were also numerous images of Greene masturbating with captions referring to children, in addition to photos of a young girl Greene knows. Those images appeared to be taken from social media accounts, according to the affidavit.
A warrant was issued for Greene Wednesday and he was arrested at his home on Omega Court in Montverde Thursday. Greene, who has an active warrant out of Georgia for an undisclosed crime, is facing 20 counts of possession of sexual performance by a child, but there are more than 1,000 additional counts that could be charged, the agent noted in the affidavit.
Greene, who does not have a Florida driver license or ID, has no known family in the area and is a potential flight risk, according to FDLE. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.
CLERMONT, Florida—After a months-long investigation by Clermont Police Department, two men were arrested this week after scamming an elderly man out of his home and selling it late last year.
According to a probable cause affidavit, in November 2022, the victim’s niece filed an online complaint with Clermont Police Department stating she believed her uncle was a victim of foreclosure fraud and she found his house was for sale, which was impossible because he is mentally and physically impaired and was admitted to a rehabilitation facility. She also stated she and her husband had power of attorney (POA) over most of her uncle’s affairs, including real estate and financial transactions.
The woman and her husband met with a Clermont Police detective a little over a week later and provided paperwork proving they had power of attorney, in addition to medical records that noted the victim’s cognitive impairment and bank records showing charges to “Lensz Investments.” She also gave the detective a written timeline that included when she contacted the listing agent on her uncle’s home, and stated the agent provided the name, “Emmanuel Damier.” Lensz Investments is linked to Damier, the detective noted in the affidavit.
The couple explained the victim’s wife died in August 2020 and he wanted them to take care of his affairs because he was getting older and did not know how to function financially. Just four days after his wife died, and while he was of sound mind, he gave the couple POA, the affidavit states.
The victim’s niece discovered the home was in foreclosure, due to a reverse mortgage the victim’s wife took out before she died, but also found a bankruptcy filing that stopped the foreclosure proceedings. The victim’s niece did not believe the signature on the document was truly her uncle’s because it was signed more than two years after giving her and her husband POA, the affidavit states.
The CPD detective found that a quit claim deed was filed on July 25, 2022 that gave the home to Mc’ckol Credit Services LLC. While researching, the detective found that the registered agent of Mc’ckol Credit Services is Lyns Dayoute and found that Damier—the name given to the victim’s niece by the listing agent—is the registered agent of Lensz Investments.
CPD served the listing agent with a subpoena of her records and found the following: the seller was listed as Mc’ckol Credit Services LLC with a listing price of $315,000; a buyer was listed and a closing date set for Dec. 5, 2022.
The detective met with the elderly victim, who admitted he had memory issues, and showed him paperwork that allegedly contained his signature. The victim said some of the signatures looked accurate but was “adamant” others were not his actual signature. The detective showed him the quit claim deed and explained the document is used to give away property. The victim asked, “Why would anyone want to do that?” The detective continued to explain the quit claim deed on his home gave the home to Mc’ckol Credit Services. The victim seemed confused, the detective noted, and he said the signature did look like his, but he had no recollection of signing it and he did not know why he would give his house away, the affidavit states.
CPD subpoenaed the victim’s medical records from several different facilities and found his cognitive abilities were impaired from April 22, 2021, until Nov. 3, 2022; in addition to a home healthcare agency noting the victim said he was “scammed and lost a lot of money.”
Records from two title companies were subpoenaed and CPD found that the original title company would not close on the home because Mc’ckol Services refused to provide a gift affidavit stating the home was given freely and the donor was competent at the time. The detective spoke with the title company and a representative said the document was required to prevent fraud, according to the affidavit.
The Lake County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office provides a Property Fraud Alert service for property owners in Lake County. According to its website, the office, “offers citizens a free Recording Notification Service via automated emails. Citizens can request monitoring of up to five different names per registered email address. When a document is recorded into the Official Records of Lake County with an identity that is being monitored, an email will automatically be sent to the provided email address.” Visit Recording Notification Service (lakecountyclerk.org) to sign up.
The closing was transferred to a new title company after the first one refused and records showed the home closed on Dec. 2, 2022, and more than $93,000 was given to the seller, Mc’ckol Services. CPD interviewed Damier—the name given to him by the listing agent and the registered agent of Lensz Investments. Damier said he had an agreement with the victim that after the sale, $10,000 would go to the victim and $290,000 would go to Damier. The detective asked Damier to provide the paperwork and he reportedly got “very guarded” and refused to answer any more questions.
Dayoute—the registered agent of Mc’ckol Services—called the detective and said he is the owner of Mc’ckol Services and Damier is his business partner. He explained the proceeds of the sale would be divided between the victim, the HOA for past dues and the holder of the reverse mortgage. He agreed to meet with the detective and provide all the paperwork, according to the affidavit.
Dayoute and Damier agreed to meet with the detective at their office in Ocoee on Jan. 13. The pair claimed to be business partners and Damier said they met the victim after sending a mailer to his home. He said they went to the victim’s home and explained everything to the victim and “prepared various paperwork and obtained (the victim’s) signature on a few documents,” including a third-party authorization to obtain information from the HOA and the bank, the affidavit states.
Damier said once they obtained the information they needed, the went back to the victim so he could sign a contract. Damier and Dayoute provided a contract to the detective that was signed in pencil and not notarized. The detective questioned Damier about two charges totaling $1,650 to Lensz Investments and Damier claimed one charge was for a home inspection and one was a repayment of a loan.
CPD went back to the victim and showed him the quit claim deed; he again said he had no recollection of signing the document and also said he believed Damier was a friend of his daughter’s. The detective spoke with the victim’s daughter and she said a man named Ignacio showed up at the home with a flyer and said he knew the home was in foreclosure and he wanted to help. Her father was introduced to Damier and Dayoute and her father signed a “bunch of paperwork” to include contracts and a lease agreement. She said Damier has given her $2,500 and helped her with hotel stays, and said she did not know anything about the sale of the house.
A warrant was issued for Damier, 42, and Dayoute, 29, for grand theft, scheme to defraud and exploitation of the elderly. They turned themselves in at the Lake County Jail Tuesday, where they were both released on $60,000 bond.
The Lake County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office provides a Property Fraud Alert service for property owners in Lake County. According to its website, the office, “offers citizens a free Recording Notification Service via automated emails. Citizens can request monitoring of up to five different names per registered email address. When a document is recorded into the Official Records of Lake County with an identity that is being monitored, an email will automatically be sent to the provided email address.” Visit Recording Notification Service (lakecountyclerk.org) to sign up.
LADY LAKE, Florida—Lady Lake Police Department continues to investigate a shooting that left a man dead early Tuesday morning.
In a press release late Wednesday afternoon, LLPD Deputy Chief Jason Brough said a man, identified as Dishaun Marquis Hudson, 38, of Leesburg was seated outside at a patio table with a group of people at Applebee’s, 1009 Bichara Boulevard, Lady Lake. Hudson walked into the parking lot where at least three gunshots were fired and vehicle left.
Dishaun Hudson was shot and killed following an altercation at the Lady Lake Applebee’s early Tuesday morning. PHOTO: Lady Lake Police Department
After the shots were fired, several customers of the restaurant fled out the back door and Hudson walked around to a side door used by employees. A female who was with Hudson tried to get him to leave, Brough said, but Hudson went into the building. A verbal altercation took place inside the restaurant and when Hudson reached into his pants a male patron shot him. The male patron has a concealed carry permit, according to Brough.
Hudson died at the scene and the male patron is cooperating with investigators, Brough said; the male patron has not been publicly identified.
“The investigation is ongoing and charges will be determined after the investigation in complete,” Brough said in the press release.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated the incident happened on Tuesday; the incident happened on Monday and the story has been corrected.
Publisher’s Note: The following story contains details about an incident involving a suicide on State Road 44 Tuesday afternoon. Inside Lake determines if we will cover a suicide on a case-by-case basis. Generally, we only cover a suicide if it is in a public place, as in this case. We also want to share resources that are available to our readers if they need help. Locally, the M.I.K.E. Endowment is available, visit https://www.themikeendowment.org/ and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available by calling or texting 988.
EUSTIS, Florida—The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a tragic incident that shut down State Road 44 Tuesday afternoon.
Around 3:30 p.m. Monday, LCSO received a call reporting a woman, identified in a report only as a female, was making suicidal threats and firing a gun outside of a home in a neighborhood off State Road 44 in unincorporated Eustis. As a deputy responded to the scene, he observed a car pulling out of the driveway of the location where the call was made, according to the report. The woman’s family invoked their rights under Marsy’s Law, according to LCSO Lt. Fred Jones, and most of her identifying information is redacted from the report.
The deputy activated the vehicle’s lights and sirens and the woman drove around the deputy and eventually made her way through the neighborhood and onto State Road 44. The woman called LCSO and threatened to harm herself if deputies continued to follow her and they backed off, according to the report.
Shortly after, the car the woman was driving crashed and deputies immediately attempted to render aid, but the woman had taken her own life. LCSO shut down State Road 44 in both directions to conduct its investigation.
Resources for depression and other mental health issues are available locally and nationally. The M.I.K.E. Endowment is a Lake County organization that provides financial assistance for immediate mental health counseling. For more information, visit https://www.themikeendowment.org/ Nationally, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached at 988, by phone or text.
LADY LAKE, Florida—Lady Lake Police Department is investigating an incident that left a man dead early Tuesday morning, according to LLPD Deputy Chief Jason Brough.
The man, who has not been identified, arrived at Applebee’s, 1009 Bichara Boulevard just after 1 a.m. Tuesday and was involved in an altercation outside, where at least three gunshots were fired, Brough said in a press release.
PHOTO: Lady Lake Police Department
Employees of the restaurant locked the doors and called 9-1-1. The man attempted to enter through the front door, found it locked, and a female who was inside the restaurant opened a side door and let him in, according to Brough. Another altercation ensued and a male patron with a concealed carry permit shot the man; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation is ongoing, Brough said, and it is unclear if the male patron is facing any charges. If you have information on the incident, call LLPD at 352-751-1565 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477.)
LEESBURG, Florida—A man is custody after Leesburg Police Department found him running several blocks from a busy bank that was robbed Monday morning, according to LPD Capt. Joe Iozzi.
Brandon J. Hooks, 38, of Lady Lake is accused of giving a teller a note indicating he was robbing Wells Fargo, 2271 Citrus Boulevard just after 9:30 a.m. Monday. Hooks, who was wearing all black, did not brandish a gun, Iozzi said.
The teller complied and LPD responded to the scene after receiving multiple robbery alarms and confirming the robbery with a bank employee by phone. Hooks fled the scene and an undercover detective observed Hooks, wearing black shorts and a white muscle shirt, walking and then running west on Tally Box Road, just south of Tally Road, Iozzi said.
Officers responded to the scene and took Hooks into custody; he was found with a large amount of cash that was later identified as the same money stolen from the bank, according to Iozzi. An employee of the bank identified Hooks and said he removed the black shirt he was wearing during the robbery; the shirt was found on a wooded footpath off Tally Road.
Hooks was arrested for second degree bank robbery and his booking information was not available at press time.
Hook was arrested in 2017 for robbing a Wells Fargo in Lady Lake; according to Sumter County Clerk of Court online docket information, he pleaded no contest and was released in March 2022. The documents in that case were not available at press time, it is unclear what sentence he received and why the case was in Sumter County.
FRUITLAND PARK, Florida—A new, daytime monthly market is set to begin this Friday in Fruitland Park.
Orange Blossom Market Co. has partnered with the City of Fruitland Park to create the Fruitland Park First Friday Market. The market is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Friday of each month at Fruitland Park City Hall, 506 West Berckman Street and will run through May, taking a break during the sweltering summer months and kicking back off in September, Orange Blossom Market Co. Founder and Organizer Sheena Willis told Inside Lake.
“The market will be a place where locals can come together with small businesses from within their community to purchase fresh foods and unique finds in an atmosphere where guests will look forward to attending again,” Willis said.
More than 30 vendors will be on site with produce, handmade wares, baked goods and food trucks. Some of the vendors include Bite Out Of Hunger, specializing in dips and salsas, Sugar Valley Farms with its full line of maple products and Lady T Lemonade with its specialty fruit-infused lemonades.
Vendor spots are closed for the inaugural market this Friday, but Willis is accepting applications for the April market, she said. If you are interested in becoming a vendor at future Fruitland Park First Friday Markets, visit, Fruitland Park First Friday April application.
Local journalism is more important than ever before and we are dedicated to the health and vibrancy of our community. Your support helps us maintain our independence and our ability to report the news without bias or influence.
