[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 03/03/20]
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LAKE COUNTY, Florida — A Leesburg woman was arrested twice over the weekend for shoplifting on opposite sides of the county.
According to an arrest affidavit, shortly before 5:30 p.m. Friday, Mount Dora Police responded to Target, 16450 U.S. Highway 441, Mount Dora on a report of a shoplifter. An employee told police a white female with face tattoos and pink hair, later identified as Nicole Ashley Misso, 30, entered the store on Feb. 19 and concealed three PS4 controllers and one Xbox One controller — valued at nearly $265 — in her purse and left the store. Just a week later, on Wednesday, the woman returned, this time stealing two Nintendo Switch controllers and two PS4 video games, valued at nearly $190. Finally, on Friday, the woman came back a third time and the employee watched her conceal one Elgato streaming device, three PS4 video games, two pairs of underwear and two HDMI cables, valued at close to $400.
Misso was taken into custody and admitted she stole merchandise, the affidavit states, the items were recovered from Misso’s purse and returned to Target. The officer reviewed security footage from the prior thefts and was able to identify Misso as the thief due to her “distinctive pink hair and face tattoos,” the affidavit states.
Misso was taken to the Lake County Jail and released on $2,000 bond.
On Sunday, she was arrested again, this time with darker hair. Around 5:40 p.m. Lady Lake Police responded to Belk, 1020 Bichara Boulevard, Lady Lake in reference to a theft in progress.
Belk’s loss prevention officer told police Misso selected miscellaneous clothing items, a pair of shoes, cologne and a watch and put them in a cart. She then entered a dressing room and exited without the cart or merchandise, according to an arrest affidavit. Misso then left the store and was detained. She admitted stealing the shoes, cologne and watch and said they were in her purse; she was booked into the Lake County Jail for the second time in two days and charged with petit theft. She was released on $500 bond.
A man who was with her, Jonathan Barron Tunstall, 35, of Leesburg is also accused of shoplifting. According to his arrest affidavit, he concealed a pair of pants and a men’s watch in the men’s dressing room and exited the store without paying. Officers observed Tunstall entering a green Kia Soul and removing a pair of pants that were on top of the pants stolen from Belk.
Police also found a backpack in the vehicle that contained methamphetamine and a bloody syringe. Tunstall was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment and petit theft. He was taken to the Lake County Jail and released on $3,500 bond.
Tunstall was also with Misso at Target, but did not steal anything there, so he was not charged in that incident. He was trespassed from Target, according to Misso’s arrest affidavit.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
