MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deployed their aviation unit to track down a man wanted for stealing a handgun from a business.
According to MCSO, 20-year-old Nathanial Vargas went into the GPS Guns and Ammo on SE Baseline Road on Jan. 14, with bad intentions.
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The store clerk says Vargas, unidentified at the time, entered the store to check out a black 9mm handgun. The clerk says Vargas suddenly took the handgun and “bolted” out of the store.
Deputies with MCSO were able to obtain a description of Vargas from the clerk and began searching the area.
Around that time, a witness advised they saw Vargas running down SE 87th St. MCSO Aviation Units were deployed and tracked Vargas running through a nearby field.
The aviation crew reportedly followed Vargas for 15 minutes until ground deputies were able to catch up.
Vargas reportedly complied with the ground deputies’ commands as they surrounded him and placed him under arrest. But they had a problem; deputies found that Vargas was no longer in possession of the stolen firearm.
A secondary search was conducted involving MCSO K9 units. They traced Vargas’ steps back to a backpack and hoodie that belonged to Vargas but did not contain the handgun.
A separate K9 unit continued to search the area and found Vargas’ shoes, as well as the handgun nearby.
Nathaniel Vargas was brought into custody at the Marion County Jail, charged with Grand Theft of a Firearm and Probation Violation. He is held without bond.