FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2018

Traffic Stop Results in Arrests

SEBRING -

At shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning, June 15th, Consolidated Dispatch received a call from an employee of the movie theatre located in Lakeshore Mall. The employee advised several subjects were in the theatre and were believed to be smoking marijuana. Upon arrival at the movie theatre the responding deputy met with the caller who indicated the people she called about, two males and two females, had just left in a silver vehicle travelling south in the mall parking lot.

At this time a second unit arrived at the mall and was directed towards the suspect vehicle that was leaving. The suspect vehicle turned south on US 27 from the mall; the deputy activated his lights to conduct a trafficstop when the vehicle made a quick right turn crashing into the parking lot of 529 US 27 South. At that time four subjects exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Additional Highlands County Sheriff’s Office units as well as Sebring Police Department officers then responded to the area and set up a perimeter. The suspect vehicle was checked for any remaining persons who might have been injured however no additional people were found in the vehicle. Deputies checking the vehicle were able to see drugs in plain view in the vehicle which later was confirmed to be marijuana and Alprazolam and MDMA, known as Molly. In addition, identification for one of the subjects was found in the vehicle. A data search indicated this person had an active, out of county warrant for armed robbery and that he should be considered armed and dangerous.

A K-9 track was initiated in an attempt to locate the subjects who fled from the car. A Polk County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was requested and responded to the scene. As the investigation continued, a K-9 and deputy were on a trail and saw one subject walking in the area of Hammock Road andtook him into custody. Additional K-9 units arrived and the search was focused on the Highlands Wheel Estate R.V. Park and the bathroom structure at the swimming pool. The remaining three subjects were thought to be inside and upon several orders to come out or the K-9’s would be released, they refused and K-9 Remco was released and made an apprehension on one suspect, the other two then surrendered.

As a result of this investigation the following arrests were made:

  • Mark Efrain Alamo, 21 years of age, of Fort Lauderdale was arrested and charged with burglary, resisting an officer without violence, 2 counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. Alamo also had a warrant out of Broward County for burglary. He is being held in the Highlands County Jail under a no bond status.
  • Stephen Andrew Korce II, 19 years of age, of Fort Lauderdale was arrested and charged with resisting an officer without violence, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He is being held in the Highlands County Jail under a $2500 bond.
  • Michaela Lee Bazini, 17 years of age, of Fort Lauderdale was arrested and charged with burglary, resisting an officer without violence, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. She was reported missing from Fort Lauderdale in early May. She has been transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
  • Amanda Lloyd, 14 years of age, of Sebring, was arrested and charged with burglary, resisting an officer without violence and two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. She has been transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Sheriff Susan Benton complimented the outstanding work of our K-9 Team and all patrol units on this case. “These arrests took exceptional cooperation and coordination between the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol and K-9 units, the Sebring Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office air unit to catch these people. No telling what kind of havoc they would have caused in our community with their backgrounds and drug-induced state. Great team work and congratulations to all involved for a safe and successful interruption of a possible crime spree.”

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