Man wanted on robbery charge nabbed by bail bondsman and police

A man wanted for not appearing in court on a robbery charge was captured by a bail bondsman and an Ocala Police officer on Friday.

Richard Seth Baldwin was taken into custody without incident by Officer Michael Rossi and Robert Fox, owner of Foxy Bail Bonds in Ocala.

Baldwin was wanted for failing to appear in court on a charge of robbery with a weapon in which he's accused of robbing a gas station with a knife in August 2016.

On Aug. 19, Marion County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Murphy’s Express at 17 Cedar Radial Pass in Silver Springs Shores in reference to a robbery. Deputies were told that a man came out of the bathroom wearing black panty hose to cover his face and holding a knife in his hand.

The robber then demanded cash from the clerk and ran away after receiving the money. Sheriff’s detectives were able to identify Baldwin as the robber, and about a week later, Baldwin went to the Ocala Police Department and turned himself in. 

Since then, the case against Baldwin, who is listed as homeless on his arrest report, has been ongoing, court records show. He skipped a hearing on Oct. 12 and his bond was revoked.

Fox, the bail bondsman, said Baldwin has been on the run since then and if he was not caught by Dec. 12, Fox would have to pay the $50,000 bond himself.

“Foxy always gets his man, no matter if it’s a $2,000 bond or a $50,000 bond,” Fox said.

Since Baldwin's disappearance, Fox had been hunting the suspect and discovered he was in the area of Southwest 30th Court and 20th Street.

The officer said he was contacted by Fox about the bond for Baldwin and Baldwin skipping out on his bond. Rossi said Fox told him the location and he drove there.

When the officer arrived, he saw Baldwin walking from a residence and arrested him. At first, Baldwin told the officer he wasn’t Baldwin but later admitted his identity and said he knew about his arrest warrant.

Baldwin told the officer and Fox that he was planning to turn himself in but had needed to do get some things done first.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.