2 Central Florida men accused of stealing frozen meat, ‘Lactaid’ ice cream from Lakeland church

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County deputies say they’ve identified two men responsible for stealing from a local church.

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According to the sheriff’s office, 59-year-old Nelson Newman and 27-year-old Ronald McCain broke into an outbuilding at Christ Memorial Baptist Church in Lakeland early Friday morning and stole about approximately $300 worth of frozen meat, Gatorade, and “Lactaid” ice cream.

Deputies say the two men then loaded the stolen products onto a bicycle with a trailer attached and left.

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Polk County investigators showed images of the bicycle and the trailer to residents in the area who pointed them to an address on Meridian Ave. where deputies found McCain and Newman with the bike and trailer, a case of Gatorade, and several containers of Lactaid ice cream, some partially eaten.

One occupant of the home told deputies that Newman had left the residence early that morning and returned with “large quantities” of frozen meat and ice cream.

When they were interviewed, deputies say Newman claimed he was lactose intolerant.

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Neither suspect would tell them what happened to the stolen meat, according to the sheriff’s office.

Both men were charged with burglary, theft, and tampering with evidence.

“These two Grinches got caught stealing $300 worth of frozen food and Gatorade from a church,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement announcing the arrests. “My guess is that if they showed up at the church and asked for help, they would have received it. Instead, they stole from the church and we took them to jail.”

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Both suspects have a long history of arrests in Polk County, according to the sheriff’s office.

Newman has a record of 26 previous arrests in Polk County for charges that include robbery with a firearm, grand theft, drug possession, and leaving the scene of an accident. He has an incarceration history with the Florida Department of Corrections dating back to 1988.

According to the sheriff’s office, McCain has been arrested in Polk County nine previous times for charges that includes possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, and multiple failures to appear in court.

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