Richard E. Martin III, a St. Petersburg City Council member in the 1970s, is accused of dealing in stolen goods.
By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET
Published August 6, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - A former St. Petersburg City Council member was arrested Thursday morning and faces six counts of dealing in stolen property.
Richard E. Martin III, 61, of 307 62nd Ave. N, bought a laser gun sight, alcohol and several pieces of electronic equipment from undercover Pinellas County sheriff's detectives during the past few months, according to arrest affidavits.
Ponzy Bryant Jr., 47, of 395 14th Ave. N, Apartment 3, also was arrested Thursday morning and faces a charge of dealing in stolen property.
Police arrested them at Martin's real estate company, Dick Martin Realty, also at 307 62nd Ave. N. The bail for Bryant, who works for Martin, was set at $10,000. Bail for Martin was set at $120,000. Both were still in Pinellas County Jail Thursday evening.
Martin served on the City Council from 1975 to 1980.
The Sheriff's Office investigation began in May, said Detective Timothy Flanigan, after numerous complaints alleged that people were burglarizing homes in St. Petersburg and selling the stolen property to Martin.
"When these people sell property for such a small amount, what they're selling it for is so they can get money for their crack cocaine habits," he said.
On one occasion, an undercover detective sold Martin a Sony VCR, a Technics disc changer, a laser gun sight and a TV security camera for $20, according to arrest affidavits.
A police report said Martin and Bryant purchased stolen property from transients and drug addicts living in north St. Petersburg. Martin also allegedly purchased stolen property from tenants in his rental properties.
"Whatever could be stolen, he would be willing to purchase," Flanigan said.
What Martin did with the stolen property is still under investigation, Flanigan said.
Thursday's arrest was not Martin's first brush with the law.
In 1983, a few years after a failed bid for County Commission, Martin was sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to buying a stolen motorboat and asking a local boat yard owner to obtain phony titles for another boat. The boats had been used to bring cocaine into Pinellas County.
Martin filed for bankruptcy protection in December. His case involved 38 creditors and more than $1.4-million in debt, according to filings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tampa. In May, Martin told the St. Petersburg Times that city code liens totaling more than $240,000 on 15 or more properties helped push him into bankruptcy.
As a member of the City Council, Martin was a maverick who often sparred with city officials. In 1975 the council voted 5-1 to warn Martin for obstructionist tactics.
Times researcher Carolyn Edds and staff writer Sharon Bond contributed to this report. Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at 727 893-8215 or cshoichet@sptimes.com
