Sebastian Crime Blotter: May 31

Phone, clothing left behind helps police nab Mulligan’s robbery suspect

VERO BEACH — A phone with text messages and calls to a getaway driver and a Mulligan's employee, along with DNA extracted from a mask, helped detectives make an arrest in the armed robbery of a beachside restaurant that occurred in mid-August. Officers said the suspect left behind his phone, mask, and other items during his escape. After the robbery, the suspect met up with the Mulligan's employee at a barbecue in Gifford, reports show. Police on Wednesday arrested Sederick Maurice Upton, 43, of the 2400 block of 42nd Street, Gifford, on charges of robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping or false imprisonment and burglary with assault. Upton was held Saturday at the Indian River ...

7 arrested, 1 sought in child pornography probes

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Deputies arrested seven people in connection with an investigation into separate child pornography cases involving thousands of images depicting sexual acts with minors. The images - some of them distributed over social media apps popular with teens and young adults - showed minors as young as newborns up to age 14, said Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers. Four teenagers were among those arrested, including two high school students, sheriff's officials said. Deputies continue to search for an additional person - Claudio Bermudez - who they said fled to Chile and has a warrant for his arrest. "These are monsters. These are people trying to prey on our most vulnerable population - our kids. Absolutely unacceptable," ...

Sheriff: Community helps solve cases in attempted abductions

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The tips kept coming in. There were calls. There was even a close-up photo of a person deputies would connect to at least two attempted abductions of two women. The help from residents, deputies say, helped them nab the suspect: a 13-year-old Pointe West resident. Wednesday, dozens of people gathered at the gazebo in the neighborhood to hear Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers give an update on the events, which happened not far from 16th Street and 74th Avenue. "The community provided us the photo which helped us solve this case. It made a massive difference," Flowers said.  "We were able to get on him right away, track him and get him into custody." The ...