Arlecia Darnae Brown, a 25-year-old resident of Orlando who claimed to be a campaign worker in a special election locally, was arrested on six felonies, including a life felony charge of traveling to commit a burglary, after allegedly stealing a bike in an L-Section neighborhood in Palm Coast last week.
Shortly before the arrest, a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy saw Brown canvassing the L-Section neighborhood for Josh Weil, the Democratic candidate in the special congressional election on April 1 to replace Mike Waltz, who formerly represented Flagler and parts of several other counties that form the 6th Congressional District. (Waltz is now the nationals security adviser to the president.) Weil is contesting the seat against Republican Randy Fine, a South Florida senator.
Weil faces a steep, near-insurmountable challenge to beat Fine in a heavily Republican district. The arrest in the final stretch of the campaign is an unexpected complication that Fine, a bombastic politician who thrives on virulence, exploited today through a media hand-out.
A stolen bicycle typically would not draw much public attention or generate a release from the Sheriff’s Office, as this one did today, but for Brown’s alleged association with the Weil campaign. A campaign aide who disseminates announcements of Weil’s events did not return a text, a call or an email, and an attempt to reach the campaign through the local Democratic Party was unsuccessful.
Brown is accused of stealing a BMX bike valued at $379 on March 6 out of an open garage on Lema Lane. (It was recovered). Neighborhood security videos and witnesses helped sheriff’s deputies in their search, even though witnesses mistook Brown for a man, for justifiable reasons: Brown has facial hair, a near-crew cut, and the features of a man. One witness described seeing a man in his 20s with a backpack walk up to the house and into the garage. The residents of the house were home. Security video from a house nearby shows a man fitting the same description walking toward the higher-numbered houses on Lema Lane.
A person seen walking on London Drive matched the description, leading a sheriff’s deputy to speak with him or her at a vacant yard, where the stolen bicycle was found parked between a fence and the back side of a tool shed. The person was soliciting for the candidate on London Drive, distributing fliers. The driver’s license the person provided bore the name Arlecia Brown.
During the interview with law enforcement, Brown “admitted to stealing the bicycle the night before on Lema Lane,” the arrest report states. Brown also admitted to entering the garage of the occupied residence to steal the bicycle. [Brown] stated that she was currently employed by the Josh Weil campaign and paid to solicit material throughout Palm Coast. [Brown] admitted that she did not obtain a permit to do so.” A local Democratic Party official said Weil has few employees, making it unlikely that Brown was one of them, but that Weil has hired canvassing companies whose employee backgrounds he would not be aware of.
After Brown’s arrest, two driver’s licenses were found on her that were not hers, both of Latino men of about 20. The deputies also found two screw drivers and a set of Allen keys deputies said were commonly associated with burglary tools.
That resulted in the six felony counts, including burglary, a second degree felony, and the charge of traveling outside of one’s county to commit a burglary. “This is a perfect example of a crime of opportunity. I encourage all residents to stay vigilant, lock their doors, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately,” Sheriff Rick Staly was quoted as saying in the release. “Thorough detective work and concerned citizens helped lead to a quick resolution in this case of a convicted felon who has been arrested 19 times in the past. I also thank the resident who ‘saw something, said something,’ which helped us quickly locate the suspect and make an arrest.”
D. Brogan says
Candidates often use outside companies who hire canvassers. The vetting is not done by the candidate. In today’s environment, this reeks of “dirty tricks”.
Just Saying says
Geez, how often does the Sheriff’s Office put out a press release over a stolen bicycle? Oh, yeah, when it may have a negative association with the Weil campaign so Randy Fine can exploit it through a media hand-out.
Sue says
Arrested 19 times! Why is “she/he out?? Ridiculous guess didn’t learn anything all those times.before.
Mr. Bill says
From Randy Fine Facebook page;
“Brown is a convicted felon, having been arrested 19 times previously. She/he has been convicted of three felonies: robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He/she is being held on a $67,500 bond.”
From Mr. Weil’s twitter acct: ” “I promise to make a huge scene when I am sworn in on the Qu’ran. There is no God rightfully worshipped at all in existence except Allah.”
I’ll pass on Weil……
Tony says
With 19 arrests he might just qualify for diaper dons cabinet !!!
JimboXYZ says
I must admit, this breaking story challenged my assumption today. I thought I had seen it all, but the charges leave the bar set low enough that someone can & should be able to top this. Headline should read “Circus Bearded Woman Steals BMX Bike in Palm Coast Campaigning for Democratic Party”. The way I figure it, arrested 19 times, the morph to try to beat the stigma of being a habitual offender and Brown identifies as whatever to create a new identity, DNA don’t change though as easily as the next identity fraud is allowable by Democrats. Here’s some questions, locked up in the Men’s or Women’s jail ? What bathroom/shower facility is used ? Who made the call on whether a male or female officer searched Brown, did it escalate to Staly for the final call/decision on that ?
NJ says
Meanwhile, the FCSO still Refuses to investigate WINRED ( a GOP PAC ) that SCAMMED $26,000+ from a Palm Coast DISABLED Veteran who served 20 years! Palm Coast was built in a drained SWAMP, but sadly Palm Coast is still a SWAMP! You should read/watch the CNN report about WINRED has a Donation Credit Card SCAM operation in which WINRED earns 4% on each SCAMMED Donation. Will the New Report from MSNBC finally Wake Up my fellow GOP members that WINRED is a Swamp Monster that will DESTROY the GOP from within! STOP using a Credit Card Donation for any GOP candidate: only use a check!
Burglary Tools? says
Allen keys are common burglary tools? Ive got a half dozen sets I mean I can see bolt cutters or a battery powered reciprocating hack saw but this is a bit of an overreach perhaps.
Just say'n says
Just dems being dems ,nothing to see here!
Al says
In his TV ads he leaves out that he’s a Democrat. Do you think he’s ashamed of the party he chose? Do you think this reeks of dirty tricks to fool the public?
Land of no turn signals says says
Them – those –
Jackson says
Randy Fine is a disgrace!
Bartholomew says
I am Jewish I am Republican (you kind of have to be to get to vote in some elections), there is no way Fine will get my vote. Weil is more center. Putting fine in is just putting the same crap in that we have. We don’t need someone who is only interested in doing what his party tells him to do. We need someone who can think for himself and is there for his constituents. Very important election get out and vote.
Bob says
Why does Palm Coast allow unsolicited sales people? I can find my own windows, solar panels, and roofing company in 30 seconds on my phone. If they really want to go door to door, they can request a cop detail to follow them door to door at their expense.
Deborah Coffey says
Sheriff, the only thing you need to find out is WHAT Republicans inserted this guy/girl into Weil’s campaign and paid him/her to steal the bike. Such a typical Republican “dirty trick!” Remember Sally Hunt on our School Board? You never bothered to find out what Republicans were involved in “planting” her. Time to do your job for the people paying your salary.
Flagler Expatriate says
Wow a stolen bicycle. Thanks Staly for using your vast resources to track down a stolen Huffy! Typical Florida bullshit.
The next thing you know ole Rick will assemble a task force to eradicate dog shit from the lawns of Palm Coast. I can see it now, “These dog owners have turned their noses up at the law for decades allowing their animals to drop stinky loads on other people’s lawns. I’m here to announce the arrest of 2 cocker spaniel owners who were caught on video allowing Freckles and Spot to defecate on their neighbors lawn. I’d like to thank the hardworking officers of the Canine Unified No Turd task force, also known as C.U.N.T.”
theKlois says
So the story is that this is a non-story and it has zero bearing on who we should for except for the fact that one candidate is making it into a big deal in the hopes of fooling people into believing it is important somehow.
I can’t vote for the party who is against everyone’s rights except straight, white males.
Get Smart says
You must not have read the press release nor the article. The INDIVIDUAL was engaged in suspicious activity. You know like being observed covertly trespassing into a vinyl fenced backyard and stashing a bike behind a shed. Which may have also been done the night before. The previous crimes mentioned early in the article were not known to residents in the low numbers of London Dr. However, watching a person exit a vacant houses backyard carrying gloves and a bag is very much enough to spark a call to the Sheriffs office. It’s highly probable this individual was casing houses to rob.
Cindy says
JMO – Seven years ago I would have not thought twice about this but today a different story I will thank you Sheriff. A day or two prior my doorbell rang and there was a young fellow (and I’m trying to be polite) waiting for the door to open. Oh hell no……… Not for nothing but events like this should be reported and the residents should be aware. If you think about it campaign time seems like a perfect opportunity to do some crime. So three days prior a bike gets stolen. Then the knock on the door and an elderly opens it then what!!!!!!!
One thing I can’t for the life of me figure out. Why do people keep their garage doors open all day long??????
Tony Lorenzo says
You send Fine to Washington just because he has an “R” next to his name will be another lackey for president Trump .
When your benefits get cut and you call Social Security or Medicare and can’t get any help because according to the president ; “ it’s for a little while “ when your IRA looses 30%, 50%. When your US $ loses its value . When previous years inflation will seem like “good times “ then you will know you made a mistake in blindly following a moron with an inferiority complex. Good luck .
Tony Lorenzo says
You send Fine to Washington just because he has an “R” next to his name will be another lackey for president Trump .
When your benefits get cut and you call Social Security or Medicare and can’t get any help because according to the president ; “ it’s for a little while “ when your IRA looses 30%, 50%. When your US $ loses its value . When previous years inflation will seem like “good times “ then you will know you made a mistake in blindly following a moron with an inferiority complex. Good luck .
Tony Lorenzo says
So let me understand the tariffs that Fine will support . Some factory in PA will open making some crap that I could have bought cheaper , creating 500 jobs . In the meantime my 401k or IRA or stocks drop like a rock and my wealth will suffer, is this what you want ? We are heading towards a serious recession. Is this what you want?
A Republic….if we can keep it. says
Al , he leaves the fact the fact he is a Democrat out of the adds is due to mental midgets that live in Palm Coast / Flagler that reflex vote when they see an “R” next to the candidate. It will take a few months ( years?) for the fever to break . Perhaps when whatever money they have accumulated disappears…
Mark S. Lester says
Convenient for Fine, and we won’t hear HIS side (A trans male would use his current pronoun, not the one at birth, I don’t care what Florida says) until AFTER the election. So the truth will be contained until then. My guess is if he wasn’t coerced, he was planted. (Did they even get him stealing the bike on all this “camera footage” they have?) Total hit piece. I hope this backfires on Fine magnificently.
Get Smart says
How about the suspect took the job of delivering campaign flyers so they could actually case houses to break into? His/Her background definitely lends to that. It was three different instances in the same neighborhood that put this person on the radar of the Sheriffs Office.