From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced today that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services arrested a Polk County man for illegally obtaining more than four million pounds of citrus worth more than $540,000 from five victims.
According to the department’s investigation, Bradley D. Reiter of Winter Haven, Florida, and owner and operator of Reiter Citrus, Inc.:
• Entered into contract with Gabriel Family Partners to purchase citrus and removed 13,108 boxes of oranges between March 20 and April 16, 2014. Reiter Citrus Inc. never paid the business for the fruit or its rise value.
• Entered into contract with Gabriel Groves Inc. to purchase citrus and removed 1,599 boxes of grapefruit and 20,468 boxes of oranges between March 26 and April 28, 2014. Reiter Citrus Inc. never paid the business for the fruit or its rise value.
• Entered into contract with Sandlake Groves LLC to purchase citrus and removed 10,907 boxes of oranges between April 29 and May 14, 2014. Reiter Citrus Inc. never paid the business for the fruit or its rise value.
• Entered a grove owned by a Bartow, Florida, resident without permission and removed 180 boxes of citrus. Reiter Citrus Inc. then provided the resident with a check that only represented half of the actual value of the fruit.
• Entered into a written agreement with a Bartow, Florida, resident to purchase citrus and removed 570 boxes of citrus fruit. Reiter Citrus Inc. never paid the resident for the fruit.
Reiter was booked into the Polk County Jail on multiple charges, including scheme to defraud, grand theft and dealing citrus without a license. Those who are facing legal challenges may want to consider hiring a criminal lawyer to build them a strong defense strategy. They may also take steps to manage their online presence, such as exploring options to remove mugshots associated with their arrest record. In addition, if you have questions like how long do mugshots stay online or how to find your mugshot, then you may want to consult a reputation management company for more information on how to protect your reputation.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.