News Archive

Old Town, Florida- On March 26, 2009, the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office, Narcotics Unit served an arrest warrant in the Old Town area.  This arrest is a result of numerous undercover operations performed by the Narcotics Unit.  These arrests mark the beginning to a conclusion of an investigation dating back to November 2008.

Arrested was Barbara Ann Thompson, 43, of Old Town.  Thompson sold and delivered the prescription medication of Roxicet to a confidential source being utilized by the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office.

Thompson was arrested and booked into the Dixie County Jail on the charge of Sale of a Controlled Substance, the substance being the prescription medication of Roxicet.  As of this time, Thompson is currently being held on a $25,000 Bond.

Sheriff Hatcher said, “I want to remind individuals that the sale of prescription medication to another without a prescription is a felony and the Narcotics Unit within the Sheriff’s Office is aggressively pursuing individuals involved in the sale, trafficking or delivery, not only of illegal substance, but the prescription medication that are devastating and are highly addictive.”

If you have any information concerning sale of illegal drugs, you are asked to contact the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office – Narcotics Unit at 498-1230.

A&K Nursery, Ace Hardware and  Rick’s Seafood were among the victims of a theft spree that was discovered on Wednesday morning in and around Cross City.  Art Wyckoff stated that “A&K was broken into early Wednesday morning with the rascals getting off with the overnight cash box only.”

At Rick’s Seafood, the masked thieves managed to break in through a window around 2 am, bust open the safe and steal the money from within.  They also took a pistol, vandalized the flooring with profanity, and trashed the office.  Luckily, Rick’s Seafood has video cameras and the two-hour crime-fest was caught on video in its entirety.

Naveen Rana, the owner of Rick’s Seafood said that “This is the third break-in in fourteen months.  I spoke to Dewey (Hatcher) yesterday and told him they need to patrol this area more often.”

Ace Hardware was hit early Thursday morning.  The cash drawer and safe were broken into and the money was removed.  No merchandise was stolen, and no vandalism was reported.

The Advocate requested police reports on the break-ins from the Cross City Police Department and the DCSO, but none was provided by press time.  The cases are being jointly investigated by both agencies.

The Bears took the District weightlifting title today at home.

Complete story and photos this week!

Old Town, Florida- At approximately 4:28 pm this afternoon, Deputies with the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office responded to 107 NE 835 Street in Old Town in reference to a person being attacked by numerous dogs.  When deputies arrived, they found a 22 year old victim, who is developmentally delayed lying in the roadway with numerous dog bites to her head, face, neck, chest, abdomen, arms and legs.

According one witness that observed the attack, he saw the victim being attacked in the roadway by approximately six dogs and before he could get to her location the dogs had pulled the victim to the roadway and were “mauling” the victim.  The witness also stated that when he arrived to the victim that the dogs ran away.

The victim was treated at the scene by Dixie County EMS for puncture and lacerations wounds to numerous areas of her body and transported to Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville.  EMS personnel listed the victim in stable condition.  The Dixie County Sheriff’s Office, Animal Control Division confiscated and placed in quarantine three bulldogs, four mixed breed dogs and eight new born puppies from the residence of Jacqualine and Elizabeth Edgell, who are the reported owners of the dogs.

In November 2007, deputies responded to this same residence for another animal attack involving multiple dogs.

The three bulldogs appeared to be in good health, but the four mixed breed and eight new born puppies appeared to be malnourished.  The Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate this animal attack and possible criminal charges are pending.

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TALLAHASSEE — Thomas F. Kirwin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of
Florida, today announced the conviction of former Dixie County Building and Zoning Inspector,
Willie “Billy” Keen, Jr. (60), for federal program fraud in violation of Title 18, United States
Code, Section 666.
Keen was convicted following a two-day trial in the United States District Court in Gainesville.
At trial, the government introduced evidence that between March and October 2003, Keen, who
was then employed as the building and zoning inspector for Dixie County, fraudulently applied
for Community Development Block Grant and State Housing Initiative Program funds to
renovate his personal home.  Because Keen did not financially qualify for these funds and was
otherwise prohibited by virtue of his position from receiving the funds,  Keen applied for the
funds in his girlfriend’s name, falsely representing that she was the owner of his home.  During
the course of 2003, Keen obtained approximately $32,000 in grant funds, which he used to
renovate his home.
Keen faces a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year
term of supervised release.  Keen also faces forfeiture of his home based upon the jury’s finding
that the home, which was renovated with the fraudulently obtained grant funds, constituted
proceeds of the fraud.   Sentencing will be held on June 2, 2009, in United States District Court
in Gainesville, before the Honorable Stephan P. Mickle.
United States Attorney Kirwin commended the diligent efforts of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation in investigating the case.   The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorneys Gregory P. McMahon and Brett Meltzer.