Crimetime

Guns, Drugs and a Gator

By Ambar Ramirez

When the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to a tip about a house on the Northwest side being used to distribute drugs, they launched an investigation. JSO’s SWAT Team, Narcotics Unit and District 5 and 6 Task Force officers searched the home and found cocaine, oxycodone, marijuana and several firearms. But the search didn’t stop there, trigger warning, it got worse. While 49-year-old Marquis Williams was arrested on multiple drug and weapons felonies, officers also found several dogs, dogfighting equipment, trophies and books. Animal Control was called in and discovered more paraphernalia, with dogs kept in skyboxes or chained and severely neglected. Officers also found young raccoons, turtles and most shocking, a 9-foot alligator in a cage with no water and bones scattered on the ground, suggesting it had been fed other animals. A Florida Fish and Wildlife nuisance gator wrangler safely removed the reptile. Williams now faces over a dozen additional charges, including animal abuse, illegal alligator possession and promoting dogfighting.

Return to Sender… Preferably in Handcuffs

By Carmen Macri

Earlier this month, a man strolled into the package room of an Avondale apartment complex like it was his personal Amazon warehouse. He took his time, browsed the options and walked out with four packages—none of which were his. Minor detail: he doesn’t actually live there. Fortunately for everyone (except him), cameras were rolling. The footage shows him casually shopping around like he’s choosing a new pair of sneakers, not committing a felony. Now, detectives would love to have a little chat with him, specifically about how mail works and how taking packages that don’t have your name on them is, in fact, a crime. We’re also pretty sure the rightful owners of those packages wouldn’t mind getting their stuff back.