Law enforcement officials apprehended a woman at a residence near The Villages following a report by the homeowner, who claimed the woman had been living there without approval and had sold a washer and dryer from the property, as detailed in an arrest affidavit.
Candice Meshelle Mackey, aged 40, is facing charges of grand theft and trafficking in stolen goods after a neighbor informed investigators that he purchased the washer-and-dryer set from her for $150. Another witness confirmed the appliances were those formerly housed in the residence.
The affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department noted that Denise Lombardi, the homeowner, reported to authorities that the appliances were part of the property and rightfully belonged there.
Lombardi further alleged that Mackey was unlawfully occupying the home and had been repeatedly asked to vacate, yet she continued to reside there. The house, located in Summerfield, is situated near The Villages, a vast residential community in Central Florida.
Candice Meshelle Mackey was detained on charges of grand theft, with the property valued between $750 and $5,000, and dealing in stolen property. She was taken to Marion County Jail but was released upon posting a $5,000 bond.
The homeowner had visited the property a few months earlier and discovered Mackey had been squatting, according to the affidavit.
Lombardi’s nephew, identified as James, who was paying rent at the home, invited Mackey to stay with him without permission.
Despite being ordered from the house in December, she still had not left and was served a notice to vacate by March 31.
The Villages retirement community in Florida is one of the nation’s largest with over 100,000 residents. (Robert Sherman, Fox News)
A neighbor first alerted the homeowner after he bought a Frigidaire washer and dryer that Mackey was selling for $150.
The buyer later told law enforcement that his washer and dryer stopped working. So, when he noticed Mackey moving out, he bought what he thought was hers for $150. Once he found out the set did not belong to her, he tried to return it and get his money back without success, the report said.
The Villages encompass over 32 square miles in Central Florida, making it one of the nation’s largest retirement communities. (Fox News)
Mackey told deputies she had purchased the appliances after being released from jail, but investigators said she gave conflicting accounts of when she bought them and could not provide proof they were hers.
She was arrested on charges of grand theft with a property value of $750 to $5,000 and dealing in stolen property. She was booked in the Marion County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond.
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