[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 10/27/19]
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UMATILLA, Florida – A Umatilla woman has been charged with helping imprison a 16-year-old domestic violence victim earlier this month and she’s facing a variety of charges for smoking methamphetamine with a 15-year-old child the same day, according to an arrest report.
According to Maxx Riggio’s arrest affidavit he battered his 16-year-old girlfriend on several occasions over the course of two days earlier this month. In an effort to convince the victim to drop the charges, Melissa Lynn Bartholomew, 36, is accused of helping Riggio place his 16-year-old girlfriend in the backseat of a car against her will and child-locking the doors so she could not escape on Oct. 8. They drove her to Eustis Police Department with Riggio stating several times on the ride he would kill her if she didn’t drop the charges. Riggio is being held at the Lake County Jail on no bond.
While investigating this incident, a Lake County Sheriff’s detective interviewed a 15-year-old juvenile witness, who told them Bartholomew and another adult female smoked methamphetamine with the juvenile the same evening.
Bartholomew was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, delivery of a drug to a minor, false imprisonment and false report to a law enforcement officer. She was released from the Lake County Jail Thursday on $21,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. In addition, 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]
