WINK Neighborhood Watch: Burglary, unregistered weapons and drug possession

This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features burglary, an unregistered firearm and silencer, and illegal drug and gun possession.

Joel Tucker Willin, a 33-year-old Cape Coral man, has been arrested after allegedly breaking into and ransacking a Cape Coral home and then fleeing from police.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, on Wednesday, around 3:13 a.m., officers responded to a home near Pelican Boulevard for a burglary in progress.

Officers found a trail of items leading to a nearby canal, where they saw Willin before losing sight of him.

Detectives from the Property Crimes Unit found Willin’s ski mask and headlamp, which he wore during the incident.

Officers also found a large red shoe floating in a lake/canal near where Willin had jumped in. A bicycle was found across the street from the burglarized residence. Detectives confirmed that the bike did not belong to the homeowner. 

Further investigation led detectives to a possible address for Willin, where officers were able to locate and interview him.

Willin reportedly burglarized the homeowner’s residence by cutting out a screen and unlocking the door.

Police said he ransacked the garage, including the homeowner’s car, and stole over $750 worth of belongings.

All items discovered near the scene, including the ski mask, headlamp, shoe and bicycle, were confirmed to be Willin’s. 

Willin has been charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, unarmed burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, grand theft of $750 or more but less than $5,000, and resisting an officer without violence.

• RELATED: Man accused of Cape Coral garage burglary

Trequille Donte Rodreguez, Sr., a 31-year-old man in Fort Myers, has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered firearm silencer.

According to court records, Fort Myers Police officers executed a search warrant at Rodreguez’s residence on July 2 and found a Ruger firearm and a firearm silencer in a bag inside a bedroom.

Both items had been reported stolen in a car burglary a month earlier in Hendry County.

Investigators lifted two fingerprints from the silencer, which were later identified as belonging to Rodreguez.

As a person with felony convictions, Rodreguez is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

He previously served time in Florida state prison for firearms and burglary offenses.

• RELATED: Fort Myers man pleads guilty to firearm charges

A man with 18 prior felony convictions has been arrested after allegedly possessing drugs and guns in DeSoto County.

According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, on Wednesday, the Narcotics Unit spotted 43-year-old Wilford Lee Smith Jr. driving near his Arcadia home.

With two active felony warrants related to illegal narcotics sales, detectives approached Smith at his home and observed marijuana in the home and his vehicle.

A search warrant revealed over 64 grams of marijuana, 296 baggies labeled for distribution, and multiple firearms, including one reported stolen from Highlands County.

As a person with felony convictions, Smith is not allowed to own any firearms or ammunition.

Smith is facing charges, including possession of a firearm by a person with felony convictions, possession of ammunition by a person with felony convictions, sale or delivery of marijuana, manufacture of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana of over 20 grams.

• RELATED: Man with 18 prior felony convictions accused of drug, gun possession in DeSoto County