Plant City Man's Crime Spree Ended in Tampa, Deputies Say

A Plant City man’s life on the run following a March 6 armed robbery and shooting in Polk County ended Tuesday courtesy of the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Members of the task force caught up with Gregory Leon Ragins, 18, on North 49th Street and brought him into custody on charges, including attempted murder, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday. The Polk sheriff, the U.S. Marshals, Tampa Police and the Hillsborough and Osceola County sheriff’s offices were all looking for the man following what deputies say was a violent crime spree.

The spree began March 6 around 9 p.m. when a man, identified by Polk deputies as Ragins, entered a store on Highway 60 and County Line Road in Lakeland and made a purchase. The man then left the store and got into a new model black car. A witness leaving the store saw the man inside the vehicle holding a gun, a media release from the Polk agency stated.

The witness, deputies said, turned and tried to get back inside the store. He was shot in the leg.

The suspect left the area heading east on 60.

A short time later, a vehicle matching the same description stopped at the Hess gas station at 4785 Highway 60 West. This time a passenger in the car, who has not yet been identified, approached a victim and pointed a gun. The man demanded money, got it and then got back into the passenger side of the car.

Polk deputies were able to identify Ragins through video surveillance, the media release stated.

When U.S. Marshals brought Ragins into custody Tuesday, he was in possession of a black 2012 Honda Accord that had been reported stolen during a March 8 carjacking in Osceola County. Marshals also found a silver revolver that matched the description used in the Polk County shooting, the release stated. In addition, he was found in possession of a “felony amount” of marijuana, a pistol grip shotgun and cash. Credit cards stolen in a March 9 robbery in Hillsborough County were also found.

Ragins has been booked into the Hillsborough County Jail and faces such charges as attempted murder, grand theft auto, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with the intent to distribute and armed robbery. He was being held without bond as of Wednesday.

Booking photo courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Keep up with what’s happening around town and the state by signing up for your favorite Patch daily newsletter: Bloomingdale-Riverview, Bradenton, Brandon, Carrollwood-Northdale, Clearwater, Dunedin, East Lake, Gulfport, Land O’ Lakes, Largo, Lutz, New Port Richey, New Tampa, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Beaches, Safety Harbor, Sarasota, Seminole Heights, South Tampa-Hyde Park, St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Temple Terrace, Westchase.