3rd pleads guilty to stolen gun used to kill detective

Clay County Sheriff's Office booking photos of Robert Apple II, Christopher Henderson, Curtis Dingler and Jack Lemond

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A third man arrested in connection with the theft and transfer of the gun used in the killing of Clay County Detective David White in February 2012 pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Prosecutors are seeking no less than seven years in prison, the maximum sentence, for Christopher Henderson, who will be sentenced July 16 on a charge of dealing in stolen property.

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During the murder investigation, investigators said they discovered that the firearm used in the killing, a .38 caliber revolver, was stolen in Jacksonville in May 2011. Investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms found that the weapon was stolen by Robert Apple II, 22, of Orange Park, then passed through the hands of Christopher Henderson, 21, of Middleburg, Curtis "Ping" Dingler, 19, of Middleburg, and Jack Lemond, 36, of Orange Park.

Investigators said all of the suspects knew the weapon was stolen.

Lemond ultimately provided the weapon to Ted Tilley, a convicted felon, who used the weapon to shoot White and Detective Matthew Hanlin, investigators said. The gun was recovered at the scene.

White, Hanlin and other members of the Clay County Sheriff's Office were investigating possible methamphetamine production at Tilley's home on Alligator Boulevard in Middleburg. Tilley killed White and shot Hanlin before deputies killed him. Four others who were inside the home at the time were arrested.

Investigators said they ran the serial number on the gun and it came back as stolen out of Jacksonville. They said from there they conducted interviews to build their case.

All four men arrested were charged with dealing stolen property and booked into the Clay County jail.

Lemond and Apple were sentenced last month to seven years in prison. Dingler's next court date is July 2.