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CARY DAVISA man arrested in the brazen holdup of a Largo Publix is also involved in a case of missing money at a Pasco charter school.
Ann Orr took one glance at the suspect's picture in the newspaper Wednesday and was overcome with glee.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, pumping her fists in celebration.
Orr is a do-everything employee at the Deerwood Academy charter school in New Port Richey. Nine months ago, the school was rocked by scandal, as a St. Petersburg Times investigation revealed that nearly $100,000 in public money could not be accounted for. Prosecutors last month charged Jeffrey Alcantara, a parent volunteer turned Deerwood employee, with 75 crimes in connection with the scandal, including numerous counts of racketeering and money laundering.
Now a central figure in the Deerwood scandal, Aristides M. Poppiti, is in the news again for what authorities described as a brazen holdup of a Largo grocery store.
Poppiti, 34, was arrested Tuesday near his parents' mobile home in Seminole, after he led police on a brief foot chase and hid under some logs. Authorities charged him with armed robbery in connection with the Tuesday afternoon holdup of a Largo Publix.
Reports said a man walked into the store carrying a .380-caliber handgun and wearing a blue ski mask. On his orders, employees filled plastic bags with cash. Then he left, shoving an older woman out of the way, reports said.
Pinellas authorities say Poppiti is a suspect in at least eight older holdups. He remained in custody Wednesday in Pinellas in lieu of $100,000 bail.
A reporter attempting to confirm that the robbery suspect is the same Aristides Poppiti involved in the Deerwood scandal showed Orr a north Pinellas edition of Wednesday's Times. A photograph showed a shirtless man escorted by two police officers.
"That's him," said Orr, Deerwood's volunteer coordinator, who also serves as the school's secretary. "That's the snake."
Poppiti has not been charged with any crime in connection with the Deerwood scandal.
"Maybe now he'll be brought to justice," Orr said of his arrest on the robbery charge.
Poppiti faces up to life in prison if he is convicted of the robbery charge.
Deerwood records show that Poppiti profited from Alcantara's role at the school. In August 2001, Poppiti created a company he named Nikon Dareios. The Times could find no record that Nikon Dareios has obtained any state licenses or holds any property. Yet the company received $31,955 from Deerwood for work that school district officials contend was never done.
Investigators with the State Attorney's Office concluded that Alcantara misappropriated about $100,000 by submitting bogus invoices to the school for air-conditioning installation, classroom renovations, plumbing and electrical work and general labor. Additionally, state investigators found, Alcantara made about $107,000 in deposits to his personal checking account during his Deerwood affiliation.
Alcantara, now 50, began his association with the school as a parent volunteer, as his son was enrolled at the Pine Hill Road campus. Both his daughter, Nicole, and ex-wife, Joanne, worked at the school.
When he was eventually hired by school founder Hank Johnson, he quickly became Deerwood's go-to guy, preparing classrooms, hiring contractors and purchasing supplies. He also recruited Poppiti, who became the school's $15,000-a-year "security director."
Poppiti is a key witness for the state in the case against Alcantara. It was unclear what effect, if any, Poppiti's arrest Tuesday will have on the prosecution's case against Alcantara. State Attorney Bernie McCabe could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Local attorney J. Larry Hart, who represented Johnson during the scandal, said that if nothing else, Poppiti's arrest is a clear indicator of Alcantara's character.
"It certainly comes as no surprise to me that these guys were friends with one another," Hart said.
- Information from Times files was used in this report.