MARION COUNTY, FL – On Saturday, November 21, 2020, MCSO Deputies arrested Izaiah Brown (DOB: 03/23/2006), Jadun Wilkerson (12/22/2004), Noel Smock (DOB: 04/06/2006), and Mykal Cooper (DOB: 12/10/2004) on multiple charges connected to an armed home invasion, vehicle theft, and battery on a customer at a gas station.
On Friday, November 20, 2020, deputies received a call in reference to a battery that had occurred at the Circle K on SE Maricamp Road. The victim of the battery said he observed Brown, Wilkerson, Smock, and Cooper harassing another customer at the store. When he asked them to stop and stated law enforcement was going to be called, the four juveniles struck him several times before leaving the area.
While Deputy Rafferty was still investigating at the Circle K, MCSO received a report of a home invasion robbery in the nearby area. The homeowner and her son told deputies that they were asleep when they heard loud banging on the front door of the residence. When they went to the door and asked who was there, the juveniles claimed to be law enforcement. The homeowner’s son advised her to call 9-1-1 immediately, at which time Brown, Wilkerson, Smock, and Cooper entered the home from a side door and they were armed.
Cooper snatched the phone from the victim’s hand and proceeded to pull the phone cord from the wall socket. The juveniles then located a set of car keys, stole the victim’s maroon Honda Civic, and fled the residence.
The vehicle’s description was immediately broadcast and Deputy Esquivel observed it traveling southbound on SE Baseline Road, where it ran a red light and headed westbound on SE 28th Street going more than 100 MPH. Deputy Esquivel activated his lights and sirens and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The juveniles continued to flee for several miles before ultimately coming to a stop in the Kingdom Revival Church parking lot, when they lost control and crashed into a concrete slab. The driver, Noel Smock, fled on foot for a short distance, but was taken into custody.
Deputy Esquivel saw the front seat passenger, Izaiah Brown, attempt to get in the driver seat and drive away, but he was able to remove him from the vehicle. Mykal Cooper and Jadun Wilkerson were located as passengers in the vehicle. Interviews were conducted by MCSO Major Crimes Detective Simpson, during which all four juveniles admitted to involvement in the events of the night.
All of the juveniles were arrested and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center. Brown, Wilkerson, Smock and Cooper were all charged with Grand Theft of Motor Vehicle, Home Invasion with a Firearm, Tampering in a Felony, and Impersonation of a Law Enforcement Officer in Commission of a Felony. Smock was additionally charged for Fleeing and Attempting to Elude Deputy Esquivel.
