Message from Sheriff Wayne Ivey
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Can someone please explain to me why two scumbags with a total of 19 felony convictions between them are out on the street where they can steal cars, do drugs, and put others lives at risk by fleeing from our Deputies in a stolen car?
Never mind I can tell you why as our criminal justice system keeps letting them back out on the streets instead of keeping them locked behind bars where they belong.
Austin Locke has 8 prior felony convictions including possession of meth with intent to sell, possession of heroin with intent to sell, and battery on an LEO.
And if that were not enough, Wednesday afternoon he made the mistake of driving in Brevard County with a stolen vehicle out of Apopka, Florida and then fleeing from our Deputies as they attempted to stop him and take him into custody.
Oh and his little running buddy Christopher Mogle, yeah he is a scumbag too as he has 11 prior felony convictions, including two counts of solicitation to deliver fentanyl, criminal conspiracy to possess fentanyl, conspiracy to introduce contraband into a detention facility, and unlawful use of a 2 way communication device.
He also did two different stints in the big house for those charges, but clearly he didn’t learn a damn thing in prison because yesterday afternoon he was riding as a passenger in a stolen vehicle with another known felon.
Thankfully though our Deputies took them both off of the street yesterday after the stolen vehicle they were driving was spotted beachside by South Precinct Deputy Paul Phillips who began to follow them as we got our Aviation Unit (STAR) up and headed in their direction.
As STAR locked onto the vehicle our marked patrol units backed off and STAR observed the stolen auto turning into the Watermill Subdivision and ultimately to a dead end road where both suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the neighborhood.
Within just a short period of time the passenger, Mogle, was located nearby after a search by K-9 Grizz and his handler Deputy Adam Weimer and the driver, Locke was located by residents on South Tropical Trail, who were outside wondering what all the commotion was about and then observed Locke in the front yard of one of the residences.
As our great citizens always do, they partnered with us by calling our BCSO Communications Center and reporting his location so our Deputies could go cuff and stuff him into a patrol car.
An initial search of the vehicle revealed not only suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, but also numerous checks made payable to people and businesses throughout the area.
As a result of the potential fraudulent activity our incredible BCSO Economic Crimes Unit responded to initiate a fraud investigation.
Ironically, (not really I was just being sarcastic) Mogle and Locke had over $5,000 in cash between them which I’m sure they earned doing a real job somewhere and not committing fraud in other people’s names.
Locke and Mogle were given a free ride to “Ivey’s Iron Bar Lodge” where Mogle was held on a “No Bond” status for Resisting Without Violence, Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon, and Carrying A Concealed Weapon.
Locke was held on a $6,000 bond on charges of Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Resisting Without Violence, and Driving While License Suspended.
In addition, our Economic Crimes Unit is currently investigating the fraudulent activity involving the checks and other criminal activity.
While our team once again did a great job at pursuing these two scumbags and locking them once again behind bars it makes me sick to my stomach that they were even out on the street where they could steal a vehicle, steal others identities, and do drugs.
When the heck is enough going to be enough? It makes me furious that we do our jobs and then the criminal justice system lets them right back out on the street so they can victimize someone else!
Oh well, another great job by Deputy Paul Phillips, our Aviation Unit, our K-9 Unit, and all of the other Deputies involved in the arrest of these two!
– Sheriff Wayne Ivey
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