The Flagler County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday the arrests of three perpetrators in a series of stolen valuables in Palm Coast. The thefts took place on Tuesday, August 20th with the subsequent arrests occurring earlier this week.
The ordeal began when a resident of Frontier Drive in Palm Coast reported that she'd been robbed, losing valuable items like electronics, jewelry, and credit cards. When the cards were stolen they reportedly were charged over $8,000 by the time they could be deactivated. The victim had a name she accused of taking her items: 53-year-old Jody Rogers, who according to her jail booking also resided in the Frontier Drive home.
According to the victim, Rogers was a part-time roommate of her and her husband for a period of multiple years, and had a drug problem. A jail booking from October of last year shows Rogers was charged with felony methamphetamine possession. The victim believed Rogers had begun using drugs again recently in the buildup to the robbery.
Two days after the thefts detectives with the FCSO surmised that the stolen items had been sold to a pawn shop in Palm Coast, leading for an arrest warrant to be obtained for Rogers. At this juncture the detectives were able to re-acquire at least some of the missing goods and give them back to the victim. Four days later, detectives found their suspect.
Jody Rogers was reportedly found sitting in her vehicle at John's Auto Parts in Bunnell, not far from the K Section in Palm Coast. She was ordered to exit the vehicle, and deputies then conducted a search. This led to the discovery of more of the stolen items, plus a glass pipe with burnt cannabis residue and a tube with a crystal-like substance. Two others were there with her according to the FCSO: 23-year-old Isac Ellis and 37-year-old Thomas Wood.
Rogers was then placed under arrest on three counts of providing false owner information for pawn items, three counts of dealing in stolen property, and grand theft of a dwelling. For the further findings in her vehicle, she was also charged with cathinones possession, hashish possession, marijuana possession, and drug paraphernalia possession.
Ellis, who was also in the vehicle at the time, was apparently seen to have cannabis in his lap by the deputies. Once he was also ordered out of the vehicle, deputies discovered a hollowed-out pen with a crystal-like substance, plus a butterfly knife. He was arrested and charged with cathinones possession, drug paraphernalia possession, and carrying a concealed weapon during the commission of a felony.
Finally, Wood was asked to exit the business along with an unnamed woman who he was with. The woman is said to have told deputies that she and Wood had driven Rogers and Ellis to John's Auto Parts. As they were being questioned deputies ordered Wood's hands onto the hood of the vehicle, but the FCSO's report claims Wood reached into his waistband instead. He was said to have been seen standing on a plastic bag, and then reaching into his pockets after he was handcuffed. Items reportedly discovered on Wood's person included methamphetamine laced with fentanyl, brass knuckles, and a bottle with 'a controlled substance'. He was arrested and charged with fentanyl trafficking, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, drug paraphernalia possession, evidence tampering, and driving with a suspended license.
“This woman’s drug addiction led her to steal from her own family who was trying to help her,” said Sheriff Rick Staly about the incident. “Thankfully, deputies were able to track her down leading to the arrest of two other suspects, one a convicted felon. Hopefully, she will get help for her drug addiction.”
Prior bookings for Rogers include methamphetamine possession and violation of pretrial release. Ellis has been arrested for domestic battery, aggravated assault, and various amphetamine possession. Wood has been arrested for illegal concealed weapon carry, witness tampering, strangulation, fleeing or eluding, and armed theft among others.
