$2-million in pot seized from 3 houses

Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies thought something was odd when they showed up Tuesday night at a house at 1502 Bryan Road in Brandon.

The smell of pot hung in the air.

"It was evident that there was a lot of marijuana," Sheriff's spokesman Debbie Carter said today.

Indeed.

Deputies got a search warrant and, in an early morning raid, found 80 plants -- about 446 pounds of pot -- inside that house and an adjacent one at 510 Desiree Drive.

They arrested Jesus Ramirez Baro, 32, at the scene and charged him with trafficking in marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and stealing electricity.

But that wasn't the end of it.

The investigation led deputies to another house, this one at 903 15th St. NE in Ruskin, where they found 48 smaller plants.

Estimated street value of the entire haul: $1.9-million.

An anonymous complaint brought deputies to the first house, Carter said. They confiscated lights, fertilizer and other growing equipment at each location, and each home was tapped into electricity without paying for it.

An arrest report lists Baro's address as 1502 Bryan Road. All three homes have different owners, according to Hillsborough County property records.

--- Jan Wesner, Times staff

Baro's mugshot courtesy of Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Rotary puppy has a mission

Call it a puppy with a purpose. Rotary, a bloodhound puppy bought and named by the Brandon Rotary Club, is setting off on a career in law enforcement.

The puppy was bought from a Florida bloodhound breeder through the Child Protection Education of America and is being donated to help track missing children.

Because no local law enforcement agencies needed a bloodhound at the moment, the dog is being given to authorities in Palm Beach County, said Thomas Odiorne, publicity chairman for the Brandon Rotary.

One of the missions of the Brandon-based CPEA is to raise funds to buy scent-tracking dogs to help authorities find missing people.

The group is headed by Hilary Sessions, the mother of missing University of Florida student Tiffany Sessions.

--- Doug Bennett, Times Staff Writer

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Gibsonton rape victim speaks out

The Times' Richard Danielson talks to the victim of a Gibsonton rape. Authorities have named the same suspect, Rigoberto Moron Martinez, as a suspect in the Gibsonton attack, as well as rapes in St. Petersburg and Apollo Beach.

Check out the story here.

-- Doug Bennett, Times staff writer

Authorities still trying to ID man burned in SUV

Detectives are still working to identify a body found Saturday in a burning SUV in Thonotosassa.

The vehicle was registered to James Patrick Fry, 47, of 3011 Gandy Blvd. in Tampa, according to a report from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The body inside was said to be that of an adult male, but it was burned beyond recognition.

Authorities will likely have to use DNA analysis for identification, the sheriff's report said.

The burning vehicle was found around 2 a.m. Saturday in an orange grove off Taylor Road.

--- Jan Wesner, Times staff writer

Arrest made in Apollo Beach rape case

APOLLO BEACH -- Hillsborough County sheriff's officials say they have arrested a Ruskin man in connection with last weekend's abduction and rape of two workers from The Docks restaurant. To read ongoing coverage of the case, follow this link:

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/08/one-arrested-in.html

Meanwhile, residents say they're glad to hear that authorities have made arrests.

Margaret White has lived in Apollo Beach for 20 years. The 50-year-old said she still can't get over the fact that a crime like the one that took place last weekend happened where she lives.

"It seems like that growth has brought things like that down this way, where as before we were a little more secluded," White said.

Bob Marcus, 57, has lived in the area since 2000. He said that he and others he knows wonder if growth and the variety of people who are coming to the area have contributed to such crimes.

"I'm not trying to jump to conclusions," he said. "But you have to wonder. I know other people I know do."

Search on for Apollo Beach rape suspects

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is continuing its investigation into last weekend's rape of two Apollo Beach restaurant employees. Here's the story from today's Times by Staff Writer Elisabeth Dyer:

APOLLO BEACH — The attack began at 3:30 a.m. Saturday as two women, ages 24 and 31, closed up a restaurant where they work.

Three men with guns — described as Hispanic and in their 20s — abducted, robbed and repeatedly raped the women, according to sheriff's officials, who released details and photos of one of the men Monday.

The four-hour ordeal ended when the women found call boxes along Interstate 75 in northern Manatee County and alerted authorities.

"Everyone is very shook up and traumatized," said 23-year-old Steve Smith of Apollo Beach, as he locked up the restaurant Monday for a friend who owns it. The Sheriff's Office is not identifying the women and the Times is withholding the business name because of the nature of the crimes.

Firefighters plan fundraiser for Bloomingdale victim

VALRICO -- The Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department will hold a car wash from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to raise money for the young woman who was raped outside the Bloomingdale library.

The fund-raiser is at Valrico State Bank's Riverview branch at the corner of Bloomingdale Avenue and U.S. 301.

Money can also be donated to the Bloomingdale Assault Victim Fund at any Sun Trust Bank.

Click here to read the Times' continuing coverage on the assault and its aftermath.

--- Jan Wesner, Times staff writer