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One Charged With Robbery, One Charged With Tampering in NFM

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On January 31, 2011, deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were notified of a robbery that occurred around 3:00 P.M. at a residence on Laurel Drive in North Fort Myers. Deputies learned the victim was picked up by the suspect, later identified as Ashley Elaine Winters (DOB 3/3/85), and another man and driven to 1272 Laurel Drive, North Fort Myers. While inside the residence, the victim gave the suspect twenty dollars. The suspect then robbed the victim of her remaining cash. The victim suffered a minor injury during the robbery. She reported the incident to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, where detectives with the Robbery Unit assumed the investigation.

Based on information obtained during the course of the investigation, deputies arrested Winters and charged her with one count of Robbery Without a Weapon.

On Saturday, February 05, 2011, detectives were contacted by the victim, who advised that Winters’ boyfriend, identified as Phillip Colee Wright (DOB 8/9/67), contacted her and asked her to drop the charges against Winters in exchange for an undisclosed amount of money. Detectives then conducted an operation involving a controlled recorded phone call between the victim and suspect. The phone call substantiated the victim’s claim by revealing that Wright wanted the victim to contact the State Attorney’s Office and drop the robbery charges. During the call, Wright provided the victim with instructions on what to say to investigators assigned to the case.

Due to information obtained through the investigation, Wright was arrested and charged with one count of Tampering in a 2nd Degree Felony Proceeding.

Both suspects have been transported to the Lee County Jail. Inmate photos and additional information are available on the Sheriff’s Office website at www.sheriffleefl.org.