[PHOTO CREDITS: Instagram / Corey Snacks]
[Original Publish Date: 02/19/20]
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TAVARES, Florida — A Eustis man has turned himself in on multiple charges for an armed robbery last year that has a connection to a man’s death.
Corey Jammar Butler, 32, also known as “Corey Snacks” turned himself into the Lake County Jail Sunday more than two months after the armed robbery at Joy’s, 11203 West Burleigh Boulevard, Tavares, near the intersection of County Road 473. Butler is well-known in Lake County for driving his food van around, emblazoned with his “Corey Snacks” logo. Butler’s pickled pineapples were featured in a local newspaper column in September 2018.
Lake Legal News was the first to report on the robbery by four suspects in the early morning hours of Dec. 13, 2019. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the call and a security guard told them a black male rang the buzzer to gain entry into the internet cafe. The security guard opened the door and started to scan the man with a metal-detecting wand when a second black male put a gun in the security guard’s face. The security guard struggled with the man over the gun and two other black males joined and wrestled him to the ground. They handcuffed the security guard and took his Glock 17 and two loaded magazines. One of the robbers put the gun to the back of the guard’s head and the other men began to rob the patrons, according to an incident report.
The robbers took wallets, cash and phones from the patrons and pointed a gun at one patron who tried to escape. They took money from the registers, robbed several other patrons on their way out and fled the building.
A witness told deputies his video surveillance system picked up a dark-colored SUV pulling into the parking lot of Joy’s and leaving. About 10 minutes later, it returned and four black males exited the vehicle. The driver reentered the vehicle and the others went inside. A short time later they ran out of Joy’s and split up, the witness said. Two ran east on West Burleigh Boulevard and one ran north of the vehicle and fled the area.
LCSO set up a perimeter in the area, along with assistance from Tavares Police Department and Leesburg Police Department, and eventually located Steve Anfernee Manor, 21 of Eustis and Zakee Durmell Grahai, 26, of Tavares in a swampy area near the internet café. They were each charged with five counts of robbery with a firearm, seven counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, four counts of petit theft and one count of grand theft of a firearm. Butler is facing the same charges.
Grahai is being held on $270,000 bond and Butler is being held on $268,000 in addition to a writ of bodily attachment for child support.
Manor was released from the Lake County Jail on his own recognizance on all charges. According to Lake County Clerk of Court records, Manor’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Bradley Bonafacino, filed a motion to release Manor on his own recognizance on Jan. 27 due to the state attorney’s office having failed to file a formal charging document (called an “Information”) in the case within 40 days. That motion was granted and Manor was released.
But Manor did not stay out long. He was arrested Saturday in Marion County. He is currently in the Marion County Jail facing charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance and driving on an expired license. He is being held on $12,500 bond on those charges.
Three days after the robbery, the body of D’Angelo Tyrek Terele Hardwick, of Tavares, was spotted by a boater near Palm Gardens Restaurant & Marina. LCSO Lt. John Herrell told LLN in December detectives believed Hardwick, 19, was one of the suspects in the armed robbery. Hardwick’s body was found less than one mile from the scene of the robbery.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
