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Crime

PTSA treasurer steals funds to pay personal bills

Wesley Chapel, Florida -- A woman employed as a PSTA treasurer for a Pasco middle school has been arrested for stealing funds to pay off her bills.

An investigation revealed between Feb. 1, 2012, and Feb. 28, 2013, Jocelyn Severson stole approximately $5,000 from the Thomas E. Weightman Middle School's PTSA bank account to pay various personal bills.

Woman keys penis-shaped figure on car, leaves note

Wesley Chapel, Florida -- A woman allegedly became so upset by someone not yielding to pedestrians while pulling into a parking lot, she took out her rage on that person's car... and even left a Post-it note explaining why.

Pasco County Sheriff's deputies say that around noon on May 17, Debra Streets was leaving the Publix in the 1900 block of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard when she found a note on her windshield. 

Synthetic drug bust targets 3 locations, nets 4 arrests

New Port Richey, Florida -- A major synthetic drug bust in Pasco County has landed four people in jail, and there's a warning from deputies that they're not done yet.

Officials say the operators of a Mobil-Mart in New Port Richey at Massachussetts and Rowan Road were warned several times to stop selling synthetic drugs. 

But undercover officers say that did not happen and Tuesday moved in on the store and two other locations.

Also raided were the Super K store at 12838 in Hudson and the Boost Mobile store at 2448 Grand Blvd. in Holiday.

19-year-old arrested for having sex with runaway girl

Wesley Chapel, Florida -- An employee at Hard Rock Cafe was arrested Thursday for having sex with a 14-year-old girl he let stay at his home for three weeks.

Pasco Sheriff's deputies say 19-year-old Walter Santos-Reyes had sex with a girl a minimum of five times while she stayed at his home after she ran away from home.

9 arrested in unlicensed contractors sting

Pasco County, Florida -- An undercover sting operation of unlicensed building contractors in Pasco County resulted in the arrest of nine people over the weekend.

In all, the nine men were arrested for various charges including working without workers' compensation, contracting without a license and violation of probation.

PHOTOS: Nine arrested in Pasco unlicensed building contractors crackdown

Children removed from filthy home, parents arrested

Wesley Chapel, Florida -- The parents of two young children are in jail and their children taken away after police found them living in deplorable conditions in a Wesley Chapel apartment.

Pasco Sheriff's deputies say a neighbor called them after they found the 4-year-old walking alone in the parking lot wearing nothing but her underwear late Sunday night. The neighbor took the child to her home and called police.

"Bank Bag Bandit" sentenced to 27 years in prison

Tampa, Florida -- A Palm Harbor man, also known as the "Bank Bag Bandit" who committed five armed bank robberies in three counties, was sentenced Monday to 27 years in federal prison in connection with the crimes.

As part of sentence, the United States Attorney's Office says David Dwindell was ordered to forfeit over $13,700, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense and to pay over $38,000 in restitution which is the amount stolen from the banks.