FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Chapman
Phone: (904) 255-3004
Cell: (904) 524-6626
ChapmanD@coj.net
February 16, 2024
JURY FINDS CRAVEN GUILTY OF BURGLARY, TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE
State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Nassau County jury found Columbus Craven guilty of Burglary to an Occupied Dwelling and Tampering with Evidence. With the verdict, Craven faces up to 35 years in Florida State Prison, if found to be a Habitual Felony Offender. The Honorable Steven Fahlgren will sentence Craven on a future date.
On Dec. 21, 2022, the victim noticed one of her children’s Christmas gifts was missing as well as a few other items from her home. When the victim checked the home surveillance camera, she saw a man — later identified as Craven — had entered her home and was in the living room and hallway around 8:30 a.m. At the time of the burglary, the victim was at work and her three kids and boyfriend were asleep. The victim’s teenage daughter recognized Craven from an encounter within the previous week when Craven drove up to their house and asked about the property. Nassau County Sheriff’s Office posted a still from the surveillance footage and multiple people identified Craven in the photo. When officers contacted Craven, he claimed his car was being towed at the time of the burglary and that it couldn’t have been him. An officer spoke with an employee of the towing company who informed him that Craven had asked her to write “8 a.m.” on his tow receipt for insurance purposes. The employee with the tow company confirmed Craven’s car was actually towed several hours after the burglary.
The case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Joel Powell and Karl Green.