A 24-year-old man will spend the next 15 years in prison for a series of armed burglaries that he committed on unlocked vehicles in a Deltona neighborhood in 2022.
This week, Trayvion Stephens was sentenced as a prison release reoffender to 15 years in Florida State Prison. Stephens was previously convicted of at least three other felonies, including two counts of accessory to first-degree felony and escape.
Stephens pled no contest to three counts of armed attempted burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for a series of burglaries that he committed during the early morning hours of January 12, 2022.
According to the original arrest affidavit, a suspect later identified as Stephens was caught on video surveillance walking around a Deltona neighborhood and attempting to gain entry into vehicles.
The incidents began shortly after 2 a.m., when Stephens attempted to gain entry into a locked vehicle parked in the driveway of a home. At the time, the homeowners were woken up by an alert they received from their Ring video. In video, Stephens is seen unsuccessfully attempting to open the doors of the couple’s vehicle.
After the failed attempt, Stephens tried another vehicle across the street that was unlocked. He stole approximately $1,500 in items, including a laptop, from that vehicle.
Through their investigation, detectives determined that Stephens tried to gain access to multiple other vehicles in the neighborhood.
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were alerted and arrived on the scene. Shortly after their arrival, video surveillance from a different home showed Stephens entering a yard with the clothing that matched the description of the suspect wanted in the thefts.
A minute later, Stephens is seen exiting the backyard of a home in just shorts.
The clothing and backpack that were recovered from the backyard contained an identification card for Stephens.
Hours later, Stephens’ girlfriend contacted police to report that his backpack was stolen from her vehicle. When Stephens spoke with police, he told them that he was in Orlando during the robberies and reported that his backpack and clothing had been stolen.
A detective who had dealt with Stephens multiple times in the past was able to review video surveillance and confirm that Stephens was in fact in Deltona and not in Orlando at the time he claimed to be.
Because Stephens is a convicted felon and was in possession of a firearm during the commission of the crimes, he was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and sentenced as a prison release reoffender.