Crime Beat

Deshaun Mutch – January 30
Deshaun Antonio Mutch, 21, of Monticello and Greenville, Fla., was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 30 by JCSO Lt. Barfield on the authority of a warrant calling for Mutch's arrest.
Several days before his arrest, on Sunday, Jan. 19 at around 12:02 a.m., Deputy Krajewski and Cpl. Freeman responded to a call on East Washington Highway in regards to a car that had parked on the roadside.
When they arrived on the scene, deputies found the car, which was driven by Deshaun Mutch.
Mutch informed the deputies that he had pulled over, as his vehicle was overheating.
However, both deputies noticed that Mutch seemed nervous and so Cpl. Freeman asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle.
Mutch said no, and allowed deputies to walk K9 Magnum around the exterior of the vehicle.
Near the rear driver door, K9 Magnum providing a positive indication of illegal substances, at which point Deputy McCoy (who had arrived at the scene) asked Mutch to exit the vehicle.
Initially, Mutch refused to exit the vehicle, and Deputy Krajewski noticed Mutch reach into the center console and pull out a small, clear bag containing a white, powdery substance.
Lt. Barfield asked Mutch what was in the bag, and Mutch said he “didn't know,” but Mutch ripped the bag open and proceeded to dump the bag's contents out of the driver's side window.
Cpl. Freeman ordered Mutch to step out of the vehicle, and when Mutch finally stepped out of the SUV, Cpl. Freeman attempted to place him in handcuffs. Mutch resisted arrest, however, by pulling his arms away. It required both Cpl. Freeman as well as Deputy McCoy to eventually hold Mutch still and place him in handcuffs.
After placing Mutch in the back of a patrol car, Deputies McCoy and Krajewski conducted a search of the subject's SUV, where they found a bag of methamphetamine. The deputies were also able to retrieve the bag Mutch had attempted to dispose of and were able to field test the residue still inside it, determining it to be cocaine.
Investigator Peacock arrived to speak with Mutch, and during an on-scene interview, Inv. Peacock gathered information that led him to feel as though there could be future involvement with additional charges.
Mutch was released.
After returning to the sheriff's office, Cpl. Freeman, Inv. Peacock and Lt. Barfield reviewed scene footage and witnessed Mutch removing unknown objects from his socks, putting them in his mouth and spitting them out into the floorboard (while detained in the patrol car). Deputies searched the patrol car and found crystal-like objects on the floorboard which were tested positive for methamphetamine.
Mutch was eventually arrested several days later (with a warrant signed by Judge Bobby Plaines) on Thursday, Jan. 30 with the charge of possession/sale of methamphetamine, possession/sale of cocaine, tampering with physical evidence and resisting an officer without violence.

Kiesha Mandel – January 30
Kiesha Taylon Mandel, 44, of Pensacola, Fla., was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 30 bu JCSO Deputy Harrison on DUI and child abuse charges.
According to the report issued by the JCSO, Deputy Harrison responded to a call after a citizen contacted 911 in regards to a vehicle that was swerving dangerously on I-10 eastbound. The vehicle had nearly hit the complainant and the caller believed the driver was intoxicated.
While driving to the provided location at around 8 a.m., Deputy Harrison witnessed a vehicle matching the description given by the caller exiting I-10. The vehicle was swerving and seemed to have trouble stopping when Deputy Harrison attempted a traffic stop.
Deputy Harrison made contact with the driver, who was identified as Kiesha Mandel and informed her of the reason for the traffic stop. Deputy Harrison could smell the strong odor of alcohol coming from within the vehicle, and also noticed that Mandel had two children in the vehicle with her.
While running Mandel's driver's license, Deputy Harrison realized that her driver's license had been suspended indefinitely in July of 2019.
JCSO's Cpl. Burrus arrived on scene and asked Mandel to exit the vehicle.
While stepping out of her SUV, Mandel nearly stumbled and fell onto the asphalt parking lot. Mandel also needed to support herself on the SUV while walking to avoid further stumbles.
Deputy Harrison had Mandel stand in front of the patrol vehicle and the report notes that he was still able to smell the odor of alcohol coming from her person; Mandel also had problems standing still and continued to sway while they spoke.
However, when asked if she had consumed alcohol that morning, Mandel said she had not. She also said she was not diabetic, did not suffer from epilepsy and was not taking any kind of medication or drug that could cause her to have influenced motor functions.
Mandel said that the swerving and difficulty in parking was her normal driving pattern and that she was currently tired.
Throughout all of this, Mandel spoke with a slurred voice and low tone.
Mandel agreed to participate in several field sobriety tests but was unable to complete the ones that Cpl. Burrus provided, repeatedly showing limits in her motor and visual functions.
As a result of her failure to complete the tests, Mandel was deemed too impaired to operate a motor vehicle. Because of her impairment, the suspended license and the fact that she had two children in her SUV, Mandel was arrested on the charges of driving under the influence, child abuse and driving with a suspended license.
After Mandel's arrest, deputies inventoried the vehicle and discovered three empty cans of beer, a small bottle of banana liquor and a cooler containing an unopened can of beer.