Three Arrested After Ponte Vedra Pharmacy Hold-Up, Chase

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Two men and a woman were arrested early Monday morning on charges they held up a Ponte Vedra Beach pharmacy, and investigators believe the same suspects may have robbed four other pharmacies in three counties since March 1.

Shane Jordon Meaker, 25, Julia Vail Catrambone, 49, and Kenneth Eugene Boaz, 43, were arrested after deputies with the St. Johns sheriff's deputies spotted their car about 15 minutes after the robbery of a Walgreen's in the 800 block of A1A North at 2:40 a.m.

The car refused to stop, speeding southbound on A1A until other deputies deployed stop-sticks at May Street and San Marco Aveune in St. Augustine. With the car's tires flattened, the car crashed a few blocks later.

The two men fled on foot, but were apprehended quickly. Catrambone was arrested at the scene of the crash.

Meaker and Boaz are charged with strong armed robbery and resisting arrest without violence. Meaker was also charged with tampering with evidence.

Catrambone is charged with principal to strong armed robbery aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude and driving on a suspended license.

St. Johns County detectives have linked these suspects to at least four additional pharmacy robberies:

• March 1: Robbery of the Walgreen's Pharmacy, 2071 U.S. 1 South in which 600 pills of Oxycontin were taken.
• April 14: Robbery of a Walgreen's Pharmacy in Flagler County where 300 Oxycontin pills were taken.
• April 17: Attempted robbery of a Walgreen's Pharmacy in Duval County.
• April 17: Robbery of the Ponte Vedra Beach Walgreen's Pharmacy in which over 900 pills of Oxycontin and Methadone were taken.

"This is a new twist in an old problem, which is drug abuse," Sheriff David Shoar said Monday afternoon. "(Oxycontin) is more additive than heroin, maybe more addictive."

Over the past three months, St. Johns County detectives have arrested 10 suspects on at least 23 charges in connection with 11 pharmacy robbery cases from St. Johns, Duval, and Flagler Counties in Florida as well as in West Columbia, S.C., and Lexington, Ky.

Detectives have also recovered over 4,100 pills, with an approximate street value of $125,000, as well as $6,000 in cash and a vehicle seizure.

Previous Stories:

• May 10, 2005: SJCSO Cracks Down On String Of Pharmaceutical Drug Thefts
• May 9, 2005: Woman Wanting OxyContin Holds Up St. Johns Pharmacy
• April 18, 2005: Robbers Steal Drugs From Ponte Vedra Pharmacy
• April 13, 2005: Palm Coast Drug Lab Bust Leads To Four Arrests