POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Bartow man with a history of local arrests found himself back in handcuffs Tuesday evening after allegedly using an old key to enter a home he had been evicted from months prior.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a residence on Scott Drive in Bartow just after 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26th. Upon arriving at the scene, a deputy located and detained 65-year-old Dewayne Galloway.
Investigating deputies determined that the Scott Drive address was Galloway’s former residence. He had been formally evicted from the property in March, at which time authorities informed him that he was no longer permitted on the premises. Records indicate Galloway stated he understood the order at the time of his eviction.
Despite the prior legal warning, Galloway allegedly returned to the property and used his old key to gain entry. The residence was occupied by another individual when he entered the home.
Galloway was arrested at the scene and transported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Processing Center. He has been officially charged with Trespassing in an Occupied Structure, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Sheriff’s Office records show this is far from Galloway’s first interaction with local law enforcement. He has been booked into the Polk County Jail approximately 20 times since 2004.
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