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Four men accused of stealing safe full of guns

By REBECCA CATALANELLO
Published August 5, 2006

TAMPA - Four people were arrested Friday after a neighbor spotted them taking a gun safe full of weapons from a nearby residence.

Johnny Stafford spent his 20th birthday in handcuffs after detectives found him, Donovan Debonair Brewton, 19, Anthony Leon, 25, and Robert Benson, 20, at the Candlewood Apartments, with stolen firearms, ammo and a gun safe.

According to deputies, the four carried the gun safe from 8719 Whisperwood Court in Tampa to a borrowed white four-door Toyota.

When a neighbor who didn't recognize the four confronted them about what they were doing, they responded that they were there to remove the safe for their uncle, according to deputies.

They drove off in the car, which was registered to someone who lives at 5976 Oak River Drive, the Candlewood Apartments, where deputies located them.

Sgt. Carlos Collado said detectives were still investigating how the men came to target the home of Roger L. Warhul, 47. The weapons recovered from Warhul's stolen safe included a Colt AR 15 assault rifle, a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger .458-caliber rifle, a Ruger .22-caliber rifle, a Remington double-barrel shotgun, a Remington .218-caliber rifle, a Savage .308-caliber Lever Action Rifle, one unknown make antique rifle and hundreds of rounds of various types of ammunition.

The suspects, all from Tampa, were arrested on charges of armed burglary and grand theft.

Leon, who lives at 8507 Woodhurst Drive in Tampa, is listed in a state database as being a certified member of the International Possee out of Miami, Collado said. Under state law, penalties are increased for gang members. His prior arrests include an assault and battery charge, the disposition of which state records did not make clear.

Stafford's address is listed as 6007 W Jean St., and Benson's is 4205 S Manhattan Ave., No. 10. Brewton's address is listed as 6407 Willow Wood Court.

It appeared they planned to sell the stolen guns, Collado said. While deputies were making arrests, two people showed up with large sums of cash. The suspects were still being interviewed late Friday, Collado said, and had not yet been booked into Orient Road Jail.

[Last modified August 5, 2006, 06:00:35]