A man who was free on bond in the theft of a golf cart has been charged in a second theft in The Villages.
A Toro Workman utility vehicle, two Stihl pole saws, three Stihl weed eaters, a Stihl backpack blower, two handheld blowers and a pressure washer were reported stolen after a crew showed up for work and made the discovery on the morning of Sept. 1 at the Brightview golf maintenance facility on Buttonwood Run, not far from the FishHawk Recreation Center. The equipment was valued at $10,000.
While investigating the case, a Sumter County sheriff’s deputy found a break in The Villages’ fence near County Road 132A. A homeowner contacted law enforcement and reported that items had been deposited at his home. The items were confirmed to be the equipment taken from the Brightview golf maintenance facility. A separate report was received earlier of a red Toro Workman utility vehicle on fire in the area of County Road 128 and 121 in Wildwood. It was also confirmed to have been taken from the Brightview golf maintenance facility.
The investigation led to 23-year-old Hunter Lee Stanley of Wildwood.
He had been free on bond following his arrest July 23 by Lady Lake police who spotted him driving a 2006 green dump-bed style Club Car golf cart owned by ASG Solutions. It had been stolen from Redfish Run Executive Golf Course located in the Village of Buttonwood. He was released from the Lake County Jail on Aug. 1 after posting $28,000 bond.
He was arrested Tuesday on charges of burglary, grand theft and criminal mischief and booked on $32,500 bond in the break-in at the Brightview golf maintenance facility.
In January 2017, Stanley was arrested by Sumter County sheriff’s deputies on charges of possessing heroin, Oxycodone and methamphetamine. In August 2017, he entered a plea of no contest and served nine months in jail.
In May 2017 while he was free on bond, Stanley was arrested by Lady Lake police on charges of heroin possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. However, he was not prosecuted in the case due to “insufficient evidence.”
