LEHIGH ACRES, FL — A Lehigh Acres man is wanted on armed robbery and kidnapping charges after deputies said he cut off his ankle monitor following an arrest tied to car burglaries. Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers identified the suspect as 22-year-old Dwayne Williams.
Investigators say Williams was initially arrested with another man, Eric Sapp, in connection with a string of car burglaries and other crimes. After he was released, deputies say he removed the monitor and continued committing felonies.
Crime Stoppers says the case now includes violent allegations that left one victim badly hurt.
Arrest tied to burglaries before new allegations
According to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, Williams and Sapp were taken into custody after a series of vehicle burglaries. The release did not give a full breakdown of every charge in the original case, but deputies said the arrest came first and the later offenses happened after Williams got out of jail.
The agency says the new allegations escalated quickly. Two days after his release, Williams and another suspect robbed a man at gunpoint, and the victim suffered significant injuries. Crime Stoppers described the attack as violent and said it formed the basis for the more serious charges now pending.
Charges now include robbery, burglary, kidnapping and battery
Williams is wanted on charges of armed robbery, armed burglary, kidnapping and aggravated battery, along with burglary, grand theft and credit card fraud. Those accusations reflect both the original burglary-related case and the later incident investigators say happened after he left jail.
Authorities have not said in the notice whether the additional suspect in the gunpoint robbery has been identified publicly. The information released by Crime Stoppers focuses on Williams, his arrest history and the charges tied to the reported attack.
Authorities say he removed his ankle monitor after release
Deputies said Williams cut off his ankle monitor after being released, then went on the run. The notice does not say when or where the device was removed, only that it happened after his release from jail.
Electronic monitoring is often used to keep track of people awaiting court proceedings or otherwise under supervision. In this case, officials say the monitor did not stop Williams from being accused of additional crimes. Crime Stoppers said he has been committing more felonies since removing it.
Who investigators are looking for now
Williams is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. Crime Stoppers said he was last known to be living in Lehigh Acres, placing the search close to the community where the original events were linked.
Officials are asking anyone with information to contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477), through the P3 app or on its website. Tips can remain anonymous, and eligible callers may receive a cash reward of up to $3,000 if the information leads to an arrest.
Crime Stoppers urges tips from the public
The wanted notice is part of a broader effort to find suspects in active investigations and encourage the public to share information without direct contact. Crime Stoppers said anonymous tips can help locate people wanted in serious felony cases.
In Williams’ case, the agency is emphasizing both the earlier burglary arrest and the later violence allegations. Anyone who knows where he may be or has information about the robbery is being asked to contact the program through its phone line, app or website.
