CRIME BEAT: Recent felony arrests

Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Patrick Lomprez – February 15
Patrick Henry Joseph Lomprez, Jr., of Monticello, was arrested on Saturday, Feb. 15 on several assault-related charges.
According to the report issued by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO), Lomprez was arrested by Monticello Police Department (MPD) Cpl. Williams after the agency received calls that referenced an altercation involving a firearm at the coin laundry on South Cherry Street.
On Saturday, Feb. 15, Cpl. Williams and MPD Officer Garrigan responded to the location on February 15 and made contact with the victim, who stated that the suspect had pointed a gun at his head then fled the scene in an SUV.
A witness at the scene identified the suspect as Patrick Lomprez.
Cpl. Williams requested the MPD's dispatchers to request the JCSO to have deputies assist in searching for the vehicle and suspect.
While the JCSO was in route, the MPD Dispatch received a second report of gunshots in the area of 1st Street, so Cpl. Williams and Officer Garrigan traveled to 1st Street, where they made contact with two additional witnesses.
According to these two witnesses, a four-door SUV matching the description of Lomprez's vehicle had been traveling west on 1st Street, when it stopped near Lemon Street and turned its headlights off.
The vehicle continued to slowly travel west on 1st Street with darkened headlights before one of the witnesses said that the driver, a white male, yelled “where is the party?” from the window.
Both witnesses agreed that the driver then fired gunshots out of the window before turning onto South Railroad Street; neither witness saw where the vehicle traveled after that.
The witnesses and the earlier victim were all able to identify the suspect as Patrick Lomprez though a photo lineup.
Lomprez was taken into custody later that evening and law enforcement officers found a Smith & Wessons M&P Caliber .380 firearm hidden underneath the back steps of the residence he had been found at; a family member of Lomprez's confirmed that he had been in possession of a firearm earlier that day.
Lomprez was transported to the Jefferson County Jail, where he was booked on the charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (three counts) and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Ruben Lopez – February 17
Ruben Michael Lopez, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla. was arrested on Monday, Feb. 17 on the authority of a warrant that had been issued for Lopez' arrest after he violated the terms of his probation.
According to Lopez's warrant, he had been previously sentenced in 2017 for possession of a controlled substance. As part of that sentencing, Lopez was to be under probation and supervision for five years.
However, in February of 2020, Lopez violated the terms of his probation by committing the criminal offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as he was arrested on that charge in Gadsden County on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Lopez further violated his probation by driving with a suspended license and being in possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
On Thursday, Feb. 13, Judge Caloca-Johnson signed and sealed a warrant calling for Lopez's arrest.
Lopez was taken into Jefferson County custody at 11:40 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 17 by Deputy Arnold.
He was then booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where his arrest report and warrant states that no bond would be offered for his release.

Dennis Atkinson – February 18
Dennis Lavaughn Atkinson, 43, was arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 18 by Florida State Troopers for marijuana possession.
According to Atkinson's arrest report, Trooper Bethea and Trooper Dixon were conducting a routine patrol of Waukeenah Highway when they observed a white truck with only one operational headlight.
The two troopers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, and as Trooper Bethea approached the driver side window, he noticed two firearms laying in plain sight on the front passenger seat.
Due to the presence of a weapon, Trooper Bethea asked the driver, Atkinson, to step out of the vehicle so that they could speak. Trooper Bethea also asked Atkinson if he would consent to a pat down of his person (to ensure he had no weapons), to which Atkinson agreed.
During the pat down, the troopers located no weapons but did find a wrapped package of marijuana concealed near Atkinson's ankle.
According to Atkinson, he was a valid medical marijuana user, and he produced a card to verify his statement.
Atkinson allowed the deputies to search his vehicle, where they found a pill container containing medication, as well as a leather bag containing hemp, a metal grinder and wrapping papers; there was also a smaller bag that contained 2.9 grams of marijuana.
Trooper Bethea read Atkinson his Miranda Rights, and Atkinson agreed to speak with law enforcement.
While he was a medical marijuana user, Atkinson admitted that the marijuana on his person was “street level” drugs. Atkinson stated that he had purchased the cannabis in bulk in order to supply himself throughout the month. He had opted to purchase illegal marijuana rather than state-approved marijuana, as the illegal cannabis was cheaper.
Due to the fact that Atkinson was in possession of illegal cannabis, he was placed under arrest.
At the Jefferson County Jail, Atkinson was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams and possession of drug equipment.

Brenda Cuyler – February 21
Brenda Joyce Cuyler, 54, of Monticello, was arrested on Friday, Feb. 21 after being found in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana.
According to her arrest report, the JCSO Drug Unit was called to Cuyler's Jefferson County residence after being granted a search warrant for the property.
On the same date, at around 10:44 a.m., deputies executed the search and found 0.1 grams of crack cocaine in two separate glass pipes in Cuyler's living room and inside the wall of the bathroom. A small bag of marijuana (0.3 grams) was also located in a coffee table in the living room.
Cuyler admitted to having smoked crack cocaine in her residence the night before.
For being in possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine) and marijuana (less than 20 grams), as well as drug paraphernalia, Cuyler was placed under arrest and booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 1:02 p.m. on the same day as the search.

Emily Vinson – February 21
Emily Jane Vinson (also known as Emily Jane Atkinson), 42, of Monticello, was arrested on Friday, Feb. 21 after violating the terms of her probation.
Vinson had previously committed the crime of grand theft (over $20,000 but less than $100,000) and had been sentenced to supervision through a probational period.
Vinson violated her probation, however, and a warrant calling for her arrest was released in Jefferson County.
On Friday, Feb. 21, at 2:06 p.m., Vinson was taken into custody by Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputy Arnold and transported to the Jefferson County Jail.