- February 9, 2026
Four suspects in unrelated Flagler County theft investigations were arrested between Jan. 27-Jan. 29.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit made two arrests on Jan. 27 and one arrest on Jan. 28. On Jan. 29, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office made an arrest on a Flagler County fugitive warrant for a fourth suspect, according to a FCSO press release.
A Cuban national was suspected of stealing meat from two Palm Coast Publix grocery stores locations. Alvarez Reyna, 30, of Jacksonville was arrested on Jan. 27 for stealing nearly $4,000 worth of stolen steaks, roasts and lamb, the press release said.
Reyna is stole around $1,574.86 in meat at around 7:43 p.m. on Jan. 5 from the Publix at the Belle Terre Crossings shopping plaza. He then drove to the Island Walk at Palm Coast plaza and stole $2,084 of meat and some personal care products from that Publix, the press release said.
Reyna later told FCSO detectives he threw out most of the meat after he went home that night and found his girlfriend cooking with another man, the press release said. He is being held on a $5,000 bond.
The same day, the FCSO arrested a home health worker after an investigation determined she stole jewelry from the homes of patients who had entrusted her with their care.
The victim reported the theft to the FCSO on Jan. 4. She told deputies that the home health aid, Jnese Stephens-Buners, 38, of Palm Coast, stole multiple pieces of jewelry from their home.
When FCSO detectives reached out to the company, they were informed Stephens-Buners had admitted to stealing the jewelry to her employers. The suspect had pawned the jewelry on Dec. 18, and nearly all of it had been melted down, the press release said.
The suspect also admitted to stealing jewelry from another home in Palm Coast. Stephens-Buners has been charged with dealing in stolen property, the press release said.
On Jan. 28, the FCSO arrested a Palm Coast man after a fraud investigation revealed the suspect, who worked in construction, had used his customers' credit card to purchase thousands of dollars' in construction material for an unrelated construction project.
The victims told detectives that John Nashmy, 41, of Palm Coast, was given their credit card in May of 2025 to purchase construction supplies to repair a fence and storage shed and build stairs on their property and later returned it in October at their request, the press release said. Afterward, the victims discovered an unusually high credit card bill and began reviewing the charges.
FCSO detectives determined that Nashmy had made $3,473.78 worth of unauthorized transactions, including a lawn mower, garage door opener, range hood, and several power tools.
Nashmy was arrested on a grand theft charge and taken to the county jail.
On Jan. 29, with assistance from the FCSO Fugitive Unit, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office arrested a St. Augustine man on an active Flagler County warrant for felony retail theft after an investigation revealed he had stolen power tools from Lowe’s, the press release said.
An investigation found that Joseph Perkins, 44, used fraudulent receipts on multiple occasions at the Lowe’s in Palm Coast to steal table saws in December 2025 and early January 2026, the press release said. In total, Perkins stole $1,428 of merchandise and attempted to steal an additional $769 in other tools.
Perkins was arrested by SJSO and transferred to the St. Johns County Detention Center. He was later released on $7,500 bond.
