Three men with outstanding warrants were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force in Clay and Marion counties Tuesday.
A press release from deputy U.S. Marshal Bryon Carroll gave the following account:
The task force, which consisted of officers from the U.S. Marshals, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department and other county sheriff’s offices, made the first arrest at about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday in Ocala.
Through an investigation, police located Jay Mendez in the Carlton Arms of Ocala Apartment complex.
Mendez, 36, was wanted on a Citrus County Sheriff’s Office warrant for two counts of each of the following charges: burglary, dealing in stolen property and grand theft.
Task force members surrounded the apartment and ordered Mendez to exit.
Police booked him into Marion County Jail with a $15,000 bond, according to jail records.
The second arrest came almost two hours later in Middleburg, located about 24 miles northeast of Starke.
The task force looked for Charles Ellis, who was wanted on a Levy County Sheriff’s Office warrant for sexual battery and sexual molestation of two children, both under the age of 12.
Officers found Ellis, 50, in a house when they ordered him to come out. Police later booked him into Clay County Jail on a $4 million bond.
Task force members arrested the final suspect, Joseph Smith, during a traffic stop in northwest Ocala.
Smith, 32, was wanted on a federal warrant from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Inside Smith’s car, police found a loaded handgun, cocaine, marijuana and a large sum of cash.
Task force members arrested Smith at about 1:30 p.m. and later charged him with possession of a weapon, armed drug trafficking and drug possession, among other charges.
Police booked Smith into Marion County Jail later that day. A bond was not set as of Wednesday evening.
Contact Chris Alcantara at calcantara@alligator.org.
