Manatee Herald Staff Report

A 31-year-old Bradenton woman broke into a church located at 1300 17th Ave. W. just after midnight on Aug. 25 with the sole intention of having sex with her boyfriend, according to the Bradenton Police Department.

Police say they responded to an alarm call at the church and met staff on location where they observed forced entry to the church door.

According to the arrest report, police made contact with Sarah Lynn Caraffi who was walking away from the area.

Police say Caraffi admitted to smashing the door’s lock with a brick and then smashed the alarm inside.

According to the report, Caraffi said she smashed the door, “because she wanted to have sex with her boyfriend.”

Caraffi was booked into the Manatee County jail for burglary and trespass after warning and is being held without bond due to also being arrested on a Sarasota County warrant.

Vapes on a plane

A 37-year-old Virginia man was arrested shortly after landing at the Bradenton-Sarasota Airport on the afternoon of Aug. 25 after Airport Authority police received a call from the pilot about a man locked in the plane’s bathroom smoking his vape pen.

According to the arrest report, Zarei Nima was met by police upon exiting the plane where he immediately became argumentative and disorderly.

Zarei escalated his behavior and refused to follow orders, according to the arrest report.

Police say Zarei resisted arrest with violence. Police learned that Zarei had acted erratically with passengers before locking himself into the plane’s bathroom during the flight.

School employee arrested on multiple felonies

A 20-year-old woman who claims she is an employee of Braden River Middle School on her arrest report faces multiple felony charges, after assaulting her own 14-year-old daughter and two roommates at a location redacted by the Bradenton Police Department.

Police say Chardonnay Jones slapped her daughter in the face after she woke her up on Aug. 21, which resulted in the juvenile victim suffering a bloody lip.

A second male roommate intervened at which time police say Jones went to her room and retrieved a BB gun. According to the report, Jones fired multiple times at close range striking the second victim in various areas of his body.

The third roommate overheard the commotion and helped to disarm Jones. The third victim went outside and police say Jones followed her with a knife in her hand, at which time the victim ran and called police.

Jones was booked into the Manatee County jail on charges ranging from battery to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and remains in custody without bond for probation violations.

Laundromat dispute sparks violence

A 46-year-old Bradenton man was arrested on Aug. 21 just before noon after battering an elderly man at a local laundry mat in the 200 block of 41st Avenue East, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say Miguel Escalante-Lopez was working next door at his residence and had plugged a power tool into the laundry mat’s electrical outlet. The 67-year-old victim unplugged the cord, and deputies say Escalante-Lopez “stormed” into the laundry mat and began hitting the victim.

Deputies say upon arrival, the elderly victim was “blood soaked,” and suffered multiple bruises.

Escalante-Lopez was booked into the Manatee County jail where he remains in custody without bond due to probation violations.

Store manager helps herself to cash bonuses

A 65-year-old Parrish woman is facing charges of felony grand theft after helping herself to cash meant to be deposited by Great Clips, according to the Bradenton Police Department.

Sabrina Rathburn was arrested just after noon on Aug. 19.

Police say Rathburn managed two Great Clips locations and was responsible for daily deposits. According to the arrest report, Rathburn is observed on video surveillance on July 6, taking money from the safe, but did not make a deposit until Aug. 10.

There were no further daily deposits afterwards, which should have totaled $22,000, according to the report.

Through the course of the investigation, police learned Rathburn had been in charge of the deposits for six months, but unknown to the store owner, was already on probation for a grand theft conviction.

Rathburn was booked into the Manatee County jail where she remains in custody on a $25,000 bond.