PUNTA GORDA — Additional charges have been filed against a man jailed Thursday on burglary and drug-trafficking charges, after authorities say he previously stole jewelry from a former roommate in August, according to a Charlotte County Sheriff’s report.

Donald Robert Costa, 39, of the 10400 block of New Brunswick Street, South Gulf Cove, was charged Friday with grand theft, dealing in stolen property and giving false verification of ownership to a pawn broker.

According to the report, Costa had lived with a 29-year-old woman and her 49-year-old mother in an Englewood East home until Aug. 22, when he moved out. Costa ­allegedly stole gold jewelry from the mother and sold it to a jewelry- and watch-repair store in Port Charlotte on the same day. The report states detectives used the Pawn Finder system to connect Costa to the transaction, for which he received $250. The owner of the jewelry also verified the items as belonging to her, the report states.

Costa was arrested Thursday on burglary, grand theft, possession of drug ­paraphernalia and trafficking in ­buprenorphine charges, in connected with stealing items from a friend’s El Jobean home, the report states. Costa remains at the Charlotte County Jail without bond.

County warns
of utilities
phone scam

CHARLOTTE COUNTY — The county’s utilities department is warning its customers about a phone scam in which customers are being phoned and told their utility payment check bounced and service will be disconnected unless a new payment is made immediately. The caller then asks for personal checking account information, according to a report.

The report states that all telephone calls to customers for returned checks are automated, and if someone has a customer’s account number, it means he does not represent the utility.

For more information, contact Charlotte County Utilities at 941-764-4300.

Venice man charged with illegal dumping

PORT CHARLOTTE — Authorities arrested a Venice man Friday morning for allegedly violating a litter law by dumping 320 cubic feet of trash on a vacant lot last month, according to a Charlotte County Sheriff’s report.

Keith Eric Adams, 20, of the 200 block of Lorraine Avenue, was charged with felony violation of a litter law.

According to the report, Adams dumped yard waste, trash and a swimming pool solar blanket in a vacant lot on the 1200 block of Madeira Street, Port Charlotte, on Sept. 17. A deputy who investigated the waste found a piece of mail addressed to a home on the 5200 block of Early Terrace, in northwest Port Charlotte. The Realtor who represents the property told ­authorities she hired Adams to clean up the property in September, and he told her he was taking the refuse to the dump.

Adams was arrested Friday after he agreed to meet with investigators, and was transported to the Charlotte County Jail, where he remains on $2,500 bond.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests:

• Brady George Edmundson, 18, W. Fray St., Sarasota. Charge: selling a synthetic narcotic, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: none.

• Cynthia Nadine Vanwy, 39, 2900 block of Bayberry Ave., Punta Gorda. Charge: failure to appear (original charges: two counts each of possession of a synthetic narcotic with the intent to sell and possession of a controlled substance, and violation of pretrial-release conditions). Bond: none.

• Tyler Jason Rizzo, 20, 27000 block of Cougar Place, Punta Gorda. Charge: disorderly intoxication. Bond: $500.

• Jamie Lynn Littlefield, 19, 17900 block of Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte. Charge: petty theft. Bond: $500.

• Gregory Edward Cash, 52, 17400 block of Vidal Ave., Port Charlotte. Charge: violation of probation (original charges: possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia). Bond: none.

• Thomas Richard Sundquist Jr., 26, 4400 block of Joseph St., Port Charlotte. Charges: possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $3,500.

• Christopher Michael Sterling, 37, 400 block of Dewhurst St., Port Charlotte. Charges: possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $6,000.

• Bonnie Covino Wilson, 44, 23500 block of Charleston Circle, Port Charlotte. Charge: hit and run. Bond: $500.

• Viris Leanora Hall-Brown, 69, 400 block of Northview St., Port Charlotte. Charge: battery. Bond: none.

• Nya Latrice Brown, 30, of Fort Myers. Charge: Lee County warrant for violation of probation. Bond: none.

• Travis Martin Ballard, 32, 200 block of W. Gibson St., Arcadia. Charge: violation of probation (original charges: habitually driving with a suspended license, two counts of DUI with property damage, DUI and failure to maintain insurance).

• Jesse Alexander Hernandez, 27, 6200 block of Philco St., Englewood. Charges: failure to appear and habitually driving with a suspended license. Bond: none.

The Punta Gorda Police Department reported the following arrest:

• Charles Russell Andre, 27, 25400 block of Prada Drive, Punta Gorda. Charges: possession of marijuana with the intent to sell, possession of marijuana, resisting arrest and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $5,500.

— Compiled by Drew Winchester