2 arrested after Seminole County deputy’s gun taken from gas station bathroom, investigators say

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County Sheriff’s Office arrested two people after a deputy reported an agency-issued firearm was stolen.

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Investigators said it happened Thursday around 5:30 p.m. at an Oviedo RaceTrac gas station.

According to an arrest affidavit, the deputy said he arrived at the RaceTrac to use the bathroom. The affidavit stated the deputy took off his vest and gun belt and placed the vest on the ground and the gun belt over the handicapped railing while he was on his phone.

The deputy told investigators after leaving the gas station to respond to a service call, he realized his gun was missing from his belt.

The affidavit stated the deputy returned to the gas station to check the bathroom for the handgun but did not find it. The deputy told investigators he assumed someone in the next stall possibly reached under the stall and removed his firearm from his gun belt.

Video surveillance from the gas station showed two people, later identified by investigators as Chance Byron and Damari Dennis, pull up to the gas pumps after the deputy left the gas station.

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Detectives said the video showed Byron walking out of the bathroom with a noticeable bulge on his right side waist and his right arm pressed against his side.

The affidavit stated both men got back into a car belonging to Byron and left the gas station.

Deputies later arrested them at their homes.

Investigators said Byron, 26, and Dennis, 23, confessed to seeing the deputy’s gun inside the stall.

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According to Dennis’ statement to deputies, he denied picking the gun up from the stall since he was on probation.

According to Byron’s statement to deputies, he claimed Dennis pointed out the firearm to him, which at the time stated it was sticking out of the toilet paper roll. The report said Byron also stated that Dennis picked up the gun first.

According to the affidavit, both men said they did not call law enforcement to inform them about the gun inside the bathroom.

Chance Byron and Damari Dennis were arrested and face charges that include grand theft of a firearm, failure to report lost or abandoned property, and dealing in stolen property.

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