LENELL BARNES III didn’t get away with any gold or precious gems after he rammed a pickup truck through the entrance of a Lake Mary jewelry store. But he did cause about $8,000 in damage to the business. And for that, a Seminole County jury convicted Barnes April 23 of burglary of a structure with more than $1,000 in losses – a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison.
Prosecutors Joan Jean, Niko Smith and Domenick Leo presented jurors with store security video and testimony from police officers that proved Barnes, 29, was the ski-masked burglar who broke into Casa Leon Jewelers around 11:17 p.m. on April 27, 2024. Carrying a hammer and yellow duffel bag, the burglar discovered the jewelry cases had been emptied by store staff and quickly fled in the truck.
Lake Mary Police arrived at the store within minutes in response to a store alarm triggered by broken glass. A store manager immediately provided security video showing the suspect arriving and leaving in the truck. Police alerted other agencies to be on the lookout for the truck.
Orlando Police soon spotted the truck, and Barnes led them on a high-speed chase through Pine Hills before getting out of the vehicle and running on foot. An Orlando officer testified that as they were pursuing Barnes, he tossed away several items including a yellow duffel bag, a hammer, and a glove the same color the burglar wore in store security video. Surveillance video of the chase from a sheriff’s helicopter was instrumental in proving the case to the jury, Smith said.
A Lake Mary detective who questioned Barnes at Orlando Police headquarters following his arrest testified that he was wearing the same clothes as the burglar in the video – including red patterned underwear that showed above his pants.
“This case is a great example of inter-agency cooperation between the Lake Mary Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office,” Leo said. “The fact that law enforcement was able to locate the defendant within 40 minutes of the commission of the crime and come testify in trial in a neighboring county is a testament to the importance of positive relationships among all our law enforcement partners.”
Besides the burglary charge, jurors also convicted Barnes of possession of burglary tools, a third-degree felony.
And based on Barnes’ past criminal record, prosecutors convinced the jury that he should be sentenced as a Habitual Violent Felony Offender, a status that enables the judge to sentence the defendant to no less than 15 years and up to life in state prison.
Circuit Judge Melanie Chase scheduled sentencing for May 26.