Man runs from deputies, crashes car, caught with gun, drugs

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – A Keystone Heights man faces a litany of drugs, weapon and felony eluding charges after a Clay County Sheriff’s Office K-9 deputy tracked him down after he fled a crashed car following a chase.

Johnathan Joseph Brooker, 35, was booked into the Clay County Jail with a $295,518 bond, after he was seen leaving a house on Woodland Drive known for the use and sale of drugs. When a deputy attempted to stop him after he realized Brooker’s driver’s license wasn’t valid, Brooker sped away. The deputy broke off the chase because it didn’t meet the criteria, according to the arrest report.

The deputy later found Brooker’s car crashed into a tree at the intersection of Paradise Drive and SW Pecan Street. The car was abandoned, so K-9 deputy McCrea was deployed and the dog tracked him to another house known for the use of illegal drugs.

As deputies entered the house, a pickup drove away and CCSO gave chase. They stopped the truck and finally arrested Brooker.

Deputies returned to the crashed car and McCrea conduced an anterior sniff and alerted deputies of the likely presence of illegal narcotics. A search revealed three grams of marijuana, methamphetamine, a .25 semi-automatic handgun, a hydrocodone pill, 28 grams of methamphetamine and 21 grams of mushrooms. He was also cited for fleeing and eluding, hit and run, driving with a suspended license and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

Brooker’s next court date is scheduled for July 7.

CCSO tricks man into traveling to meet minor for sex

ORANGE PARK – The Clay County Sheriff’s Office ran a covert undercover operation to pose as a child to lure a 24-year-old man to meet for a sexual encounter with a minor on Friday, May 29.

Christian Gabriel Rijo, of Orange Park, was charged with transmitting information harmful to minors, traveling to lure a minor after using a computer and using a two-way communication device to facilitate after CCSO connected with him on Snapchat.

They met in the “Find Friends” application section. According to the arrest report, Rijo initiated a conversation which gave CCSO probable cause for an arrest report on May 29, 2026, with a chat that led to him apparently agreeing to traveling to meet the minor.

Rijo’s bond was set at $401,509.

CCSO: Clay County substitute teacher arrest for exploiting child

ORANGE PARK – A Clay County man was arrested by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, their Special Operations Division and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT task force after they served a search warrant for a man suspected of possessing child and animal sexual abuse material.

Tyrone Julius Ferguson, 50, of Orange Park, was arrested on June 2, after he was interviewed by CCSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children’s Unit after it received information Ferguson, who worked as a substitute teacher for a private company for elementary and middle school students and a youth basketball coach., was in possession of pornography. While at his residence, they uncovered enough evidence to charge him with four counts of possessing, controlling or viewing child sexual abuse material and two counts of possessing animal sexual abuse material.

On Tuesday, Ferguson was charged with four additional counts of possessing, controlling or viewing child sexual conduct and two counts of filming or possessing images or filming videos of animal sexual activity.

“The Clay County Sheriff’s Office will continue to hold those victimizing our most vulnerable accountable – every time, no exceptions,” Sheriff Michelle Cook said. “The safety, dignity and future of our children depend on swift and unwavering justice.”

The sheriff’s agency said this is an ongoing case, and if anyone has any information, they can contact Det. Eva Solis at esolis@claysheriff.com or at 904-264-6512. You can also submit an anonymous tip through the SaferWatch App or contact First Coast Crime Stoppers by dialing **TIPS.

 Woman charged with trafficking meth during traffic stop

ORANGE PARK – After an alert, a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a car on Wednesday, May 27, because the license tag had been expired for 10 months, and wound up arresting a woman for trafficking methamphetamine when he noticed her trying to kick a straw under the seat after she changed her baby’s diaper during the stop.

Lacrisha Sharey Rogers, 41, of Orange Park, was also charged with possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia and controlled substances in a vehicle with a minor present and driving with a suspended license.

The deputy saw the straw on the floorboard while Rogers sat in the front seat. According to the arrest report, after she changed her baby’s diaper, she tried to kick the straw under the seat. According to Phoenix Rising Recovery, straws are commonly used to snort methamphetamine fumes.

A check of her driver’s record revealed her license had been suspended, revoked or cancelled 12 times since Jan. 6, 2025.

A search of her car confirmed methamphetamine residue on the straw. Deputies also found a glass pipe, a bag with seven syringes filled with a total of 115 CCs of fentanyl. They also found a total of 28.9 grams of methamphetamine.

The baby was released to the father.

Rogers’ bond was set at $143,514.

Ridgeview High teacher charged with improper contact with student

ORANGE PARK – A Ridgeview High teacher was arrested Friday, May 29, after an investigation revealed he had inappropriate communication with a student, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.

Christopher Steven Suarez, 48, was immediately placed on administrative leave after the Clay County District Schools received a report that a juvenile student at the school received inappropriate social media messages from a teacher at the school.

The investigation revealed he began communicating with the student using a social media platform earlier this year.

In the days leading up to the report, CCSO said Suarez sent the student sexually explicit photographs and messages.

He was arrested on six counts of transmission of harmful materials to a minor and one count of use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony. He is being held in the Clay County Jail with a $525,021 bond.

Although Suarez was arrested in connection with this incident, CCSO said this remains an active investigation. Anyone with information that might be of assistance is encouraged to contact Det. Andrew Carter at (904) 264-6512 or acarter@claysheriff.com.

CyberTipline Report leads to child porn charge for Middleburg man

MIDDLEBURG – An undercover investigation that involved four law enforcement agencies and stemmed from a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children agency led to the arrest of a 33-year-old man for possessing three child pornography files, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

Kyle Christopher Hallquist, of Middleburg, was arrested on Thursday, May 28, after a lengthy investigation determined three CyberTipline Reports between September 2021 and December 2021 were downloaded or stored. The cases were assigned to the Gainesville Police Department, St. Johns, Flagler and finally to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation revealed the IP address belonged to Hallquist.

His bond was set at $151,509. He is scheduled to return to court on June 30.