Door-To-Door Salesman Accused Of Home Invasion

A 21-year-old trying to sell magazine subscriptions in an Orange Park neighborhood Thursday afternoon was arrested and charged with home-invasion robbery after a woman said he forced his way into her house, stole her purse and beat her.

According to the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Brandon Sheriff, of Owensboro, Ky., approached a home on Creswick Circle at 2:30 p.m. asking to use the telephone, then attempted to sell the homeowner magazines.

When the victim refused to make a purchase, she said Sheriff forced her way into her home, pushed her down and grabbed her purse. She told deputies that when she grabbed the purse to try and get it back, Sheriff punched her in the face, then ran.

The victim did not require medical treatment. She later picked Sheriff out of a photo lineup and he was arrested Thursday evening.

Clay County authorities said Sheriff worked for Lone Star Subscriptions out of Texas, a company that is the subject of nearly 300 complaints filed with the Texas Better Business Bureau. Authorities said the company does not have a state permit to operate door-to-door soliciting in either Clay or Duval counties.