Cops: Lab Tech Stole $8,800 in Dental Gold

A 39-year-old Englewood man stands accused of swiping dental-grade gold from his Sarasota employer and then pawning it for fast cash.

According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was performing a routine check of the pawn database when he noticed some odd activity related to Isaiah John Fast. It seems Fast pawned 38 pieces of dental-grade gold in mint condition over the past week. When the deputy discovered Fast was employed as a technician at Brlit Dental Laboratory, he decided to check with the owner.

The owner, the sheriff’s office stated in a media release, confirmed a total of 60 pieces of gold and 240 pieces of silver palladium were missing. All told, the items have a value of about $8,800.

Since the pieces pawned and those reported stolen didn’t quite add up, deputies decided to head to the pawn shop in plain clothes on Wednesday. When Fast showed up, they watched as he sold 18 more pieces of gold and attempted to sell the silver.

An arrest warrant for Fast was obtained Thursday, the sheriff’s office stated. He was arrested later that afternoon, charged with three counts each of dealing in stolen property and fraud for providing false ownership information related to the pawned items.

Fast was booked into the Sarasota County Jail and is being held in lieu of $90,000 bond.

Photo credit: Isiah John Fast/Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office