The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department announced that a local investigation into a vehicle burglary at the Monroe County YMCA has led to the identification, arrest and formal charging of two Florida men now linked to an organized multi-state crime ring.

The investigation initiated and led by the MCSD’s investigations division ultimately expanded beyond state lines and resulted in additional charges in other jurisdictions as well as federal charges.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on March 24, 2023, deputies were dispatched to the YMCA, 9514 Caring Way south of Columbia, in reference to a vehicle burglary. Upon arrival, deputies observed the victim’s vehicle had a shattered window and that a bag containing U.S. currency, multiple debit and credit cards, and other personal property had been stolen.

A witness at the scene reported observing a white GMC Terrain without a front license plate and a possible Missouri rear plate slowly driving through the parking lot. A man was seen exiting the passenger side of the vehicle, walking between cars, and looking into windows before returning to the vehicle, which then left the area.

Shortly after this crime, the Waterloo Police Department responded to a separate incident at
Walmart, 961 N. Market Street in Waterloo, involving a suspicious individual reportedly
placing items beneath another vehicle in the parking lot. WPD officers and MCSD Investigator Jim Vogt responded to the scene, reviewed store surveillance, and recovered multiple bags containing property matching descriptions from the YMCA burglary. Some of the items were later confirmed to belong to a second victim.

“Through an extensive investigation, Monroe County detectives were able to identify the
suspect vehicle as a rental car registered in Florida and picked up from a St. Louis-area
location. Investigators obtained and analyzed video surveillance from multiple locations and worked in coordination with law enforcement agencies across several jurisdictions,” MCSD Sgt. Justin Biggs said in a press release. “During the investigation, Monroe County investigators uncovered surveillance footage from Walmart showing one of the suspects inside the store using the victim’s stolen identification and bank information to purchase prepaid cards and additional merchandise. These transactions were linked directly to the victim’s accounts. Investigators also tracked video surveillance and digital records from the rental vehicle pickup and drop-off locations, connecting the suspects to related investigations in Effingham, Illinois, as well as other locations throughout Illinois, Missouri and Florida.”

This led to the development of a broader case identifying the suspects as part of an ongoing multi-state criminal operation.

Charged in the case are James R. Whitiker, 42, of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., formerly of St. Louis, and Kevin D. Robinson, 37, of Lauderdale Hill, Fla. Both are charged in Monroe County with burglary, criminal damage to property and fraudulent/unlawful use of a credit/debit card. All are felonies.

Whitiker was sentenced in Monroe County Circuit Court to three years in prison each on two burglary counts and remains in custody at an out-of-state correctional facility. In addition, Whitiker has been charged federally in connection with crimes through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Robinson is currently in custody in a Florida county jail awaiting extradition to Illinois. He
also faces additional criminal charges in Florida and other jurisdictions for similar incidents believed to be part of the same criminal enterprise, the MCSD said.

Both Whitiker and Robinson are now facing a range of felony charges across multiple
jurisdictions, with additional federal charges brought forward based on their involvement
in a widespread, organized theft and fraud scheme affecting multiple states.

“The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department wishes to thank the numerous agencies that
provided critical assistance during the course of this investigation,” Biggs said. “The case is a
testament to the power of interagency cooperation and the continued commitment to protecting the citizens of Monroe County and beyond.”