Haleigh Cummings 5,SATSUMA, Fla. NEWS Part II!

[Bailey]

Posted on November 5th, 2009
by Jan Barrett in All News, Society and Culture, crime


This just in from TJ Hart - Jan Barrett

The brother of Misty Croslin, the last person to see a missing Satsuma girl alive, is once again behind the bars of the Putnam County jail.

Hank Thomas “Tommy” Croslin Jr. was booked in to the Putnam County jail Thursday morning at 11:40 and charged with misdemeanor narcotic equipment-possession or use and a felony drug charge for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.

973.The Sky spoke with Lt. Johnny Greenwood to ask if Croslin’s arrest had anything to do with rumours of an ambulance call to 116 Tyler regarding a 42-year-old man frothing at the mouth and how this arrest might impact other cases pending against Croslin. Greenwood replied:

“I have spoken with our Communications Center and we have not had a rescue call at 116 Tyler Lane today. Regarding your question of Tommy Croslin’s bond on the previous arrest, that will be up to the judge or possibly the bail bondsman that bonded him out last time. If there was a condition in his bond paperwork concerning any future arrests, the bail bondsman could possibly move to have his bond revoked if he/she desires.”

Tommy Croslin was recently released on bond regarding the alleged theft of a gun from his blind neighbor. This is the same neighbor his mother, Lisa Croslin, is accused of stealing checks from and forging at least one of those checks for $400.

While awaiting bond on his gun theft charge, Tommy Croslin told investigators he didn’t think that his sister Misty Croslin was at home in the 10pm hour that February night then 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings was taken while she was being watched by Misty.

Misty Croslin was the babysitter for Haleigh Cummings and a Ronald Cumming Jr. before marrying the children’s’ father, Ronald Cummings Sr., shortly after was abducted from the mobile home they shared in Hermit’s Cove near Satsuma, FL.

Just weeks ago Misty and Ronald divorced and young Haleigh is still missing.

Haleigh is described as a 5 year old white female. She is approximately 3′0, 39 lbs, blonde hair & brown eyes. Unknown clothing description.

Haleigh was last seen at her residence in the Hermit’s Cove area of Putnam County on February 9, 2009 between the hours of 8-10pm.

A statewide Amber Alert has been issued. An additional $30,000 in rewards have been posted.

If you have any information and wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477) or you can Text your tip by Texting “TIP231 plus your message” to CRIMES (274637).

http://www.bloggernews.net/122868

[Bailey]

By CHAD SMITH | More by this reporter | chad.smith@staugustine.com | Posted: Friday, November 6, 2009 ; Updated: 12:11 AM on Friday, November 6, 2009


The brother of the woman who said she was the last to see missing Putnam County girl HaLeigh Cummings was arrested on drug charges Thursday morning.

Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr. -- the brother of Misty Croslin, the 17-year-old ex-wife of HaLeigh's father, Ronald Cummings -- was found asleep in the front seat of his van near his home in Satsuma at about 9 a.m.

Putnam County medics woke Croslin, 23, and a deputy saw a prescription pill bottle and a sandwich bag containing "several blue pills" in the front passenger seat, according to a police report.

He said he had dropped off his son at the bus stop and had "taken a nap because he was sleepy," the report stated.

His father, Hank Croslin, came to the scene and asked his son if he had any "roxies," referring to the pain medication Roxicodone. The elder Croslin told a deputy "roxies" had been stolen from his house the night before.

Tommy Croslin denied knowing the pills were in the van, even though, the report noted, the pills and a cigarette lighter were the only items in the passenger seat.

He was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a first-degree misdemeanor, and was being held at the county jail on $1,508 bond.

In a news release, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said it was not giving interviews regarding the arrest as it "does not have any bearing on the Haleigh Cummings investigation, and we do not want subsequent arrests, such as this one, to cause distractions for our investigative team."

http://www.staugustine.com/stories/1..._2153223.shtml

[Bailey]

Brother Of Misty Croslin Facing Domestic Violence Charges

POSTED: 11:26 am EST November 20, 2009
UPDATED: 11:37 am EST November 20, 2009

SATSUMA, Fla. -- Just two weeks after an arrest on drug charges, Hank Croslin Jr. is in jail again.

This time, Misty Croslin's brother is facing domestic violence charges.

Putnam County deputies said the arrest stems from an argument he had with his father over DVDs.

Hank's sister, Misty, was the last person to see missing 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings before she vanished.

She recently divorced Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings.

http://www.wesh.com/news/21675489/detail.html

[Bailey]

By
Jeff Hess
@ November 24, 2009 7:53 PM

More trouble for the family of missing Putnam County girl Haliegh Cummings.

The father of the woman who was at home when Haleigh went missing has been arrested for doctor shopping.


Police say 41-year old Hank Croslin Senior acquired hundreds of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone pills from three different doctors earlier this year.


Croslin has been charged with withholding information from a practitioner.


Police found this information as part of their investigation into the disappearance of the young girl.

There have been a series of arrests of family members connected to this case, but none have been involved with the disappearance.


Haliegh has been missing since early February.

http://wokv.com/localnews/2009/11/mo...ly-of-hal.html

[Bailey]

* By Matt Coleman
* Story updated at 5:04 PM on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009


There’s little new information about the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, the 5-year-old Satsuma girl who has been missing since February.

But family members and acquaintances linked to the missing girl keep ending up in jail on unrelated charges.

Hank Thomas Croslin Sr., 41, the father of Misty Croslin Cummings — the last person to see Haleigh — was arrested Tuesday at his Satsuma home. He was charged with withholding information from a doctor and fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs.


Croslin Sr.

Croslin’s potential doctor-shopping came to light during the investigation into Haleigh’s disappearance, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Investigators said Croslin obtained about 300 Oxycodone and Hydrocodone pills from three different physicians between April and May 2009. None of the doctors knew about the other prescriptions, the release said.

Croslin was taken to the Putnam County jail. He is charged with a third-degree felony. Bail was set at $7,500.

His daughter used to be married to Haleigh’s father, Ronald Cummings. The pair married in March about a month after Haleigh went missing and filed for divorce in October. Cummings was arrested in August on a felony charge of burglary with battery following a fight with Misty's brother, Hank Thomas Croslin Jr., 23.

The younger Croslin was charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia earlier this month. He was also charged in September with grand theft of a .38-caliber handgun that was reported missing by a former neighbor.

Lisa Croslin, Misty’s mother, was arrested in September on forgery and petty theft charges.


Misty Croslin Cummings also has been in several scrapes herself, including a road-rage incident and as a victim of a robbery during what police were told was a drug purchase, but has not been charged.

Even though this latest arrest of Misty's father is not related to Haleigh's case, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said investigators intend to question Croslin Sr. to determine if he has any knowledge of the events that took place the night the then-5-year-old went missing. The Sheriff's Office noted there remain inconsistencies in his daughter’s account of the evening that still need clarification.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/crime/2009-11-25/story/misty_croslin_cummings_dad_joins_putnam_jail_repor t

[Bailey]

Investigators Continue To Search For Missing Girl

POSTED: Wednesday, November 25, 2009
UPDATED: 1:00 pm EST November 25, 2009

SATSUMA, Fla. -- The father of the woman who was watching Haleigh Cummings the night she went missing has been arrested on unrelated charges.

http://www.clickorlando.com/video/21723796/index.html
VIDEO: Hank Croslin Questioned



Hank Thomas Croslin Sr., the father of Misty Croslin, was arrested and charged with withholding information from a practitioner, also known as doctor shopping.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said the arrest is not related to Haleigh's disappearance, but was the result of information gathered while investigating the case.

The Sheriff's Office said although the arrest is not related to Haleigh's disappearance, investigators intend to question Hank Croslin to see if he knows anything about the night the girl went missing.

Misty Croslin was watching Haleigh in the Satsuma trailer she shared with Haleigh's dad in February when the then-5-year-old disappeared. Misty Croslin has since married and divorced Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings.

The Sheriff's Office said it believes there are inconsistencies in Misty Croslin's account of what happened the night of Feb. 9. Haleigh was reported missing the following day.

Interviews with other members of the Croslin family have not helped investigators clarify what exactly happened that night.

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/21722231/detail.html

[Royalpurple209]

Cummings Family Hangs Lights to Honor Haleigh

Jessica Clark Taren Reed Created: 11/25/2009 5:35:29 PM Updated: 11/25/2009 6:04:56 PM

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. -- Christmas lights are newly strung at Haleigh Cummings' father's and great-grandmother's home in Welaka in Putnam County.

However, the banner with the missing child's picture on it in the front yard may be the most important addition.

Annette Sykes, Haleigh's great-grandmother, said her family is having a hard time this Thanksgiving.

"It's really hard to give thanks when part of your heart and family is not here and you don't know where they are," Sykes said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Sykes said her family doesn't feel much like decorating for the holidays, but it was important to do it for Haleigh's younger brother.

"If it weren't for Junior, we probably wouldn't," Sykes explained, "but he has to have some kind of normal life."

As for the investigation, Johnny Greenwood with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said detectives and an FDLE agent are reviewing tips they have received about the Haleigh Cummings case.

At Hill's Hardware in Pomona Park in southern Putnam County, the seasonal message on an outdoor sign changes. However, the part that reads "Pray for Haleigh" has been up since February when she disappeared.

That's sad for John Woods, the employee who was inserting letters to spell "Happy Thanksgiving."

Woods said, "It's real sad. I'm real sad because I just had a little baby girl. I'd be sad if my girl come up missing."

Rodney Sheffield of Hill's Hardware told First Coast News, "We have been through a lot in Palatka looking for [Haleigh] and so forth. Our hope is they'll find her, hopefully alive and if not, at least it'll bring closure."

He looked at the sign and added, "One more prayer may help."

Back at Sykes' home in Welaka, red ribbons are tied to the trees. They're not for Christmas. Those ribbons have been up for months there. They are ribbons of hope for a little girl's safe return.

"Somebody's got to know something, and that person can come forward" without being identified, Sykes said.

As Christmas lights line her home and while telephone poles along the highway don festive lights as well, the signs of the holiday season seem to be all over Putnam County.

But there's still no sign of the little girl.

Haleigh was 5-years-old when she vanished Feb. 10 from her father's mobile home, just outside the community of Satsuma.

Misty Croslin, Haleigh's father's ex-wife, was babysitting Haleigh that night when she said she awoke about 3 a.m. and noticed the kitchen light on. The back door was propped open with a brick and Haleigh was missing.

Despite extensive searches and a $35,000 reward, Haleigh has not been found.

If you have information that can help investigators, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS. You can remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward if your tip leads to an arrest.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local....=148710&catid=3

[Bailey]

Updated: Monday, 30 Nov 2009, 11:30 PM EST
Published : Monday, 30 Nov 2009, 11:30 PM EST

MATTHEW SAFFER | WAWS TV

WELAKA, Fla. (WAWS TV) - It has been almost ten months since Haleigh Cummings was taken from her Satsuma home in the middle of the night. Her family is getting ready for Christmas, but the idea of spending the holiday without Haleigh, is almost too much to bear.


Haleigh Cummings

"If I could get anything for Christmas, it would be Haleigh. No doubt. That's all I want for Christmas," said Haleigh's father Ronald Cummings.

Ronald invited Action News teams over to his house to speak with him and his mother about the holidays. Ronald has moved a massive memorial filled with Haleigh's toys and pictures to the main room of the Welaka home hes staying in. The memorial takes up an entire wall of the living room.

Christmas was Haleigh's holiday, according to Ronald and his mother. On Christmas, Haleigh was one of the most animated of all the children who came over to enjoy the holiday.

"It's just going to be horrible if shes not here," said Haleigh's Grandmother Teresa Neves.

Ronald remembers the holidays when Haleigh was home as well. "A typical Christmas would be the whole family gets together at my grandmas house. We eat a real big dinner, and then we open a lot of presents when were done eating. A lot of presents, a lot of smiles from the children. It's going to be hard," said Ronald.

Ronald says the reason they are even celebrating this year is for Haleigh's 4-year-old brother, Ronald Jr.

Haleigh's grandmother says whenever they're out shopping for presents, Ronald Jr. constantly reminds her to buy something for Haleigh. She thinks in some way, it still hasn't settled in that his sister is gone.

"It's the same for everyone in this family. We just want whoever has her, let her go. You can have anything we have, just bring our little girl home," said Teresa Neves with tears in her eyes.

"Thanks to all the law enforcement that was involved in helping look for Haleigh. Thanks for all the ones still looking for her. Please continue to look for her. I need to find my daughter. She's not yours. She has a family who loves her," said Haleigh's father Ron.

A candlelight vigil will be held on the night of December 10, to keep the awareness up about Haleigh. The reward for information on Haleigh's whereabouts now stands at $30,000.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news...aleigh-at-home

[Bailey]

Jonathan Feldmann Ann Butler Created: 12/12/2009 6:06:25 AM Updated: 12/12/2009 7:39:41 AM

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. -- The grandmothers of Haleigh Cummings said they want the FBI to take complete control of the investigation.
Haleigh was 5 when she vanished Feb. 10 from her father's mobile home, just outside the community of Satsuma.

Misty Croslin, Haleigh's father's ex-wife, was babysitting Haleigh that night when she said she awoke about 3 a.m. and noticed the kitchen light on. The back door was propped open with a brick and Haleigh was missing.

Haleigh's grandmothers Teresa Neves and Marie Griffis said 10-months is too long to go without answers about Haleigh's disappearance.

Haleigh's paternal grandmother, Neves, said she wants Gov. Charlie Crist to involve the FBI.

Griffis, Haleigh's maternal grandmother, said a federal probe is needed because Haleigh was abducted from a jurisdiction that is extremely corrupt.

Both grandmothers have vowed not to stop fighting until Haleigh is found.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/t...149409&catid=3

[Bailey]

* By Matt Coleman
* Story updated at 5:08 PM on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009

Haleigh Cummings is still nowhere to be found.

Many of the people in her extended family, however, keep turning up in the Putnam County jail.

The latest wrinkle in the story has nothing to do with the 5-year-old Satsuma girl's disappearance. Freddie Wayne Cummings — the uncle of Haleigh's father, Ronald Cummings — was charged Sunday with firing a gun in public after some family fisticuffs outside a Putnam County bar.


Freddie Wayne Cummings

Cummings, a 61-year-old Lake Como resident, was at the Hide Away Bar in the 200 block of Old Highway 17 shortly before midnight Saturday when the hits started coming, according to a Putnam County Sheriff's Office incident report.

He was with his brother, Jack Lester Cummings, 49, sister, Annie Lee Lucas, 51, and girlfriend, Debra Gray, 58. They were talking about money when things began to escalate, the report said.

The brothers went outside and exchanged blows until Freddie Cummings pulled out a gun and fired twice — once in the air and once in the ground. Bartender Melissa Spoon told the Times-Union Cummings slapped her when she tried to break up the fight and also punched his sister.

Cummings was taken to the Putnam County jail and booked on the gun charge. Bail was set at $504. Domestic and simple battery charges were forwarded to the State Attorney's Office, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Each of the feuding family members appeared intoxicated, the report said.

Witnesses refused to cooperate with police, saying the incident was a "family thing."

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/crime/2009-12-15/story/family_member_of_haleigh_cummings_jailed_in_putnam _county_on_gun_c

[Bailey]

December 20, 6:35 PMAmber Alerts ExaminerCharisse Van Horn

Haleigh Cummings is still missing and her status is classified as an unsolved Amber Alert. Haleigh Cummings disappeared from her Putnam County, Florida home on February 10, 2009; she was five years old at the time of her disappearance.


Haleigh Cummings


Haleigh Cummings was reportedly asleep in her bed in a trailer located in Satsuma, Florida. At the time of her disappearance, she was under the care of her father’s girlfriend, Misty Croslin. Misty Croslin was 17 years old at the time Haleigh vanished and her account of the events that transpired that night have been called into question by many.

Misty Croslin failed to report Haleigh missing until Haleigh’s father, Ronald Cummings, 25, arrived home from work at approximately 3:00 a.m. To this day, Misty Croslin has not given a consistent account of the night Haleigh went missing.


When Ronald Cummings arrived home, he insisted that Misty call 9-11; the call was made at 3:27 a.m. Misty Croslin stated that she awoke and found the back door was open and a cinder block had been used to prop the door open. DNA testing was performed on the cinder block, but as of yet, there are no suspects in the case.


Investigators handling the case have stated that they have received more than 4000 tips but are no closer to finding Haleigh. They do, however, say that the case is far from cold.


There has been a $30,000 reward posted for information that leads to the recovery of Haleigh Cummings. Haleigh is described as standing approximately 3'0, weighs 39 lbs, and has blonde hair & brown eyes. It is unknown what clothing she wore at the time she disappeared.


A statewide Amber Alert has been issued. An additional $30,000 in rewards have been posted.

You may report any information regarding Haleigh Cummings to Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477) or you can Text your tip by Texting “TIP231 plus your message” to CRIMES (274637). You may also call 911.

http://www.examiner.com/x-32312-Amber-Alerts-Examiner~y2009m12d20-Haleigh-Cummings-still-missing-Unsolved-Amber-Alert

[Bailey]

Man Says Cummings Threatened To Kill Him

POSTED: Thursday, December 31, 2009
UPDATED: 1:26 pm EST December 31, 2009



Ronald Cummings

The father of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings is being investigated in relation to an alleged road rage incident.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said Ronald Cummings was driving a truck that rammed into another car on Wednesday.

The driver of the other car told deputies Cummings waved a gun and threatened to kill him.

Deputies said they spoke to Cummings and his ex-wife Misty Croslin, but no arrests have been made. The incident is under investigation.

Haleigh was reported missing from her father's Satsuma home in February. She was 5 years old at the time.

Cummings and Croslin divorced in October. The pair married weeks after Croslin reported Haleigh missing. Croslin was watching Haleigh when the girl disappeared.

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/22099326/detail.html

[Bailey]

Relatives Of Haleigh Cummings Charged With Trafficking In Prescription Medicine

POSTED: 11:46 pm EST January 20, 2010
UPDATED: 6:38 am EST January 21, 2010

PALATKA, Fla. --
Family members of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings were in trouble with the law again on Wednesday night.

Ronald Cummings and Misty Croslin were two of five people arrested and accused of selling Oxycodone and Hydrocodone to undercover police officers.

Cummings faces three counts of trafficking in prescription medications and is jailed on a $500,000 bond. Croslin was charged with six counts of trafficking in prescription medications and is jailed on a $950,000 bond.

Video | Crime Tracker
http://www.wesh.com/video/22299771/index.html

Putnam County authorities identified the other three as Hank Croslin Jr., Hope Sykes and Donna Broch, whose photo was not available. They each face one count of trafficking in prescription medications.

Investigators said an undercover Putnam County Sheriff's Office detective purchased prescription drugs with a street value of about $3,999 from the group on seven separate occasions.

"Information was obtained that these individuals were unlawfully selling prescription medications in the community," said Lt. Johnny Greenwood. "Sheriff Hardy assigned detectives from the Drug-Vice Unit to the investigation. An undercover Putnam County Detective infiltrated this group, gaining the trust of these drug dealers."

Greenwood said prescription drug abuse is on the rise in Putnam County.

"Sheriff Hardy acknowledges the rise in prescription medication crimes in our community and understands that this is a precursor to many other crimes affecting our citizens. He has instructed his investigators to not only aggressively pursue the subjects who are illegally selling prescription medications, but also the individuals who are unlawfully possessing and using these highly addictive drugs."

Greenwood said Cummings, Misty Croslin and Broch face a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in state prison if they are convicted while Croslin Jr. and Sykes face minimum sentences ranging from three to 15 years.

Croslin divorced Ronald Cummings, the father of the missing 5-year-old, after only a few months of marriage. Haleigh was in Croslin's care at the time of her disappearance from her Satsuma home in February, and Croslin was the last person known to have seen the girl.

Greenwood said investigators assigned to the Haleigh Cummings investigation would take every available opportunity to speak with any individual believed to have knowledge about the girl's disappearance.

http://www.wesh.com/news/22298625/detail.html

[Bailey]

Ronald Cummings and Misty Croslin accused of trafficking in prescription medications

* By Larry Hannan, Dana Treen, Jim Schoettler
* Story updated at 12:41 PM on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010


The father and former stepmother of missing Putnam County girl Haleigh Cummings are back in trouble, this time on charges of trafficking in controlled prescription medications.


Misty (Cummings) Croslin - Booked in the St. Johns County jail


Ronald Cummings - Booked in the Flagler County jail

Ronald Cummings, Misty Croslin, Hank "Tommy" Croslin Jr., Hope A. Sykes and Donna M. Brock, were arrested Wednesday night following a month-long undercover investigation led by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, according to a news release issued just after 11 p.m. by the agency.

An undercover officer purchased large quantities of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone seven times in Putnam and St. Johns counties, the release said. The estimated street value of the drugs is $3,900.

Cummings and Misty Croslin were arrested Wednesday after prescription medications were purchased from investigators. The others were arrested on warrants, according to the news release.

Misty Croslin, 18, faces six counts of trafficking in prescription medications, while Ronald Cummings, 26, is charged with three counts. Hank Croslin Jr., who is Misty's brother, Sykes and Brock each face one count of trafficking in prescription medications. All but Brock are from Satsuma. Brock is from Orlando and was with Misty when they were pulled over in October in Central Florida accused of road rage. Sykes is Cummings' cousin.

Misty Croslin and Hank Croslin Jr. are in the St. Johns County jail; Ronald Cummings is in the Flagler County jail. Misty Croslin is being held on $950,000 bail; Cummings, $500,000; Brock, $250,000; Sykes, $150,000; and Hank Croslin Jr., $100,000.

Ronald Cummings, Misty Croslin and Donna Brock face minimum mandatory sentences of 25 years in state prison if convicted. The others face minimum sentences ranging from three years to 15 years in state prison.

The Croslins had a brief court appearance in St. Johns County this morning. Judge Charles Tinlin asked whether she could afford an attorney, and she said she already had one. Cummings was in court in Flagler County.

Cummings and his former wife had been seeing each other occasionally and were to meet Wednesday about 5 p.m.after he finished working at a tree trimming job, his mother, Teresa Neves, said.

She said she believes her son and niece were staying in contact with Misty Croslin in the hopes of learning what happened to Haleigh.

"They didn't see a lot of each other," she said.

She said she believes the arrest of her former daughter-in-law could mean a break in the case.

"I think she will talk with the hopes of getting out," Neves said.

She believes Misty Croslin's bail was set purposely high to keep her locked up.

"Maybe she'll flip and tell us where Haliegh is," she said. "That is the only [good] thing that can come out of this."

She said she did not know the roles all those who were arrested played in the drug case but thinks Misty Croslin was at it's center.

"He shouldn't have been talking to Misty Croslin," she said. "She brought his butt into this."

She said early Thursday it was unlikely that the family would be able to afford a bond to release Cummings, but plans to mark the year anniversary of Haleigh's disappearance were still going forward.

"Hopefully Misty will talk and Haleigh will come home," she said.

She said Cummings son Ronald Jr. is staying with Neves' mother.

"He's doing very well," she said.

Cummings is the father of 6-year-old Haleigh, who disappeared in early 2009 and has not been found. Misty Croslin, who was the last person to see Haleigh before she disappeared, later married Cummings, but the two divorced months later.

Putnam authorities did not comment on how the arrests may affect the investigation into Haleigh's disappearance, but the news release indicated those now in jail may be further interviewed in the case.

"As stated in previous releases, investigators assigned to the Haleigh Cummings investigation will take every available opportunity to speak with any individual believed to have knowledge about Haleigh Cummings' disappearance," the release said.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/crime/2010-01-20/story/haleigh_cummings_father_former_stepmom_appear_in_c ourt_this_mornin

[Bailey]

Tipster led to drug trafficking charges against missing Haleigh Cummings' father and former stepmother


By Anthony Colarossi and Willoughby Mariano, Orlando Sentinel

2:31 p.m. EST, January 21, 2010

A tipster led Putnam County officials to suspect that the father and former stepmother of missing Satsuma girl Haleigh Cummings were involved in prescription drug trafficking, officials say.

That's when they arranged to have an undercover detective purchase more than 300 pills – in the oxycodone and hydrocodone families – during seven recent controlled buys, according to Lt. Johnny Greenwood with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

"It was our undercover detective that infiltrated the group," Greenwood said today.

Now, Ronald Cummings, 26, and Misty Croslin, 18, could face a minimum-mandatory sentence of 25 years in state prison after their arrests on multiple counts of trafficking in prescription medications, according to a news release sent out by the sheriff's office Wednesday.

The father and former stepmother of the missing girl were among five people arrested Wednesday in the prescription drug trafficking sting, Putnam County deputy sheriffs said.

Haleigh Cummings, then 5, captured national headlines when she disappeared from her father Ronald Cummings' double-wide trailer in February.

Croslin was baby-sitting the girl while Cummings was working a night shift. She told investigators that she woke up and realized Haleigh was gone about 3:30 a.m.

There were no signs of forced entry, and the back door was ajar. At the time, Croslin was Cummings' girlfriend. They have since married and divorced.

Haleigh's body has not been found and there have been no arrests in her disappearance.

Today, Greenwood said the drug case and the case involving Haleigh's disappearance remain separate, but he expects the two investigations to intersect at some point in the future.

"These two investigations will collide," Greenwood said. "Their paths will cross eventually."

However, he said it was not the investigation's intent to develop the drug case in order to make progress on the young girl's disappearance, which is approaching its one-year anniversary.

"Hopefully, something will come out of it on the Haleigh side, but that was not the intention," Greenwood said. "This was totally unrelated. It was a very good narcotics case."

Misty Croslin was particularly active in the prescription drug operation, officials said. As in many other parts of Florida and the country, prescription drugs have become a growing problem in Putnam County and nearby counties.

"She [Misty Croslin] was involved in all of them [the drug purchases]," Greenwood said. "She was the common denominator in all seven buys."

Felony warrants obtained by the Orlando Sentinel today indicate that Misty Croslin was found selling or holding oxycodone and hydrocodone in Putnam and St. Johns counties on several occasions last month and this month. Twice she had or sold more than 28 grams of the drug, the warrants state.

Since the missing child's case drew national attention in early February, Croslin has been no stranger to the law. In October, Palatka police said she was robbed while trying to buy drugs in that town.

When asked about the familiarity of Misty Croslin and Ronald Cummings and their alleged dealing, Greenwood said, "They've been in the media spotlight since Day One."

The Cummings and Croslin arrests this week were part of a month-long investigation by the Putnam Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, a federal drug taskforce and the 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office, according to the release.

The undercover Putnam County detective purchased $3,900 worth of drugs from Croslin and Cummings, as well as Hank Thomas "Tommy" Croslin Jr., 23, Hope A. Sykes, 18, and Donna Brock, deputy sheriffs said.


Hank Croslin and Sykes are from Satsuma. Brock is from Orlando. Her age was not immediately available.

Hank Croslin is Misty Croslin's brother, Greenwood said.

On Wednesday, undercover investigators purchased what the deputy sheriffs described as "trafficking amounts" of prescription drugs from Cummings and Misty Croslin. They were taken into custody without incident.

Deputy sheriffs did not say whether they plan to interview the drug suspects in Haleigh's disappearance.

"Investigators assigned to the Haleigh Cummings investigation will take every available opportunity to speak with any individual believed to have knowledge about Haleigh Cummings' disappearance," the release stated.

Misty Croslin faces six counts of trafficking in prescription medication. She is being held on $950,000 bail. Cummings is being held on $500,000 bail for three counts of the same charge.

Hank Croslin, Sykes and Brock face one count each of the trafficking charge. Hank Croslin's bail is $100,000; Sykes is $150,000; Brock's is $250,000 bail.

Each defendant had initial appearances this morning and their bail amounts were kept the same, according to State Attorney's Office spokesman Chris Kelly.

Ronald Cummings is held at the Flagler County Jail. Misty Croslin, Hank Croslin and Brock are held at the St. Johns County Jail; and Sykes is in the Putnam County Jail, Kelly said.

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