FUGITIVE ARRESTED IN LAKE COUNTY

David Dent Faces A 30-Year Sentence For His Escape While On Furlough From Jail

HAINES CITY -- An anonymous tip ended David Dent's life on the lam.

Dent ignored the threat of a 30-year sentence and failed to return to
the Polk County Jail after his brother's funeral.

But on Monday morning, he was taken into custody by Lake County
Sheriff's deputies as he ate breakfast at a Denny's Restaurant.

The 30-year-old Dent, who was jailed on several marijuana trafficking
charges, was being held in the Lake County Jail on Monday afternoon.

"We arrested him on an escape warrant from Polk County," said Lake
County sheriff's Sgt. Christie Mysinger.

"He missed first appearances here this morning, so we will probably
be keeping him overnight and then Polk County will come and get him
(today)," Mysinger said.

Mysinger said Dent did not resist arrest.

Carrie Rodgers, a spokeswoman for the Polk County Sheriff's Office,
said deputies will have to wait for his first appearance in Lake
County before they can go get him today.

"We are sending two warrants deputies to go get him," Rodgers said.

Haines City police got a tip Monday morning that Dent was seen eating
at the Denny's restaurant on U.S. 192 north of the Haines City exit
from Interstate 4.

"We got a call from someone who said he was there eating alone and we
called the Lake County Sheriff's Office to go pick him up," said
Haines City police Detective Sgt. Jay Hopwood.

Dent, who police say is the biggest marijuana dealer in the area, was
granted a weeklong furlough Oct. 18 by Circuit Judge Dick Prince to
attend his brother's funeral later that week.

The State Attorney's Office objected to the furlough and said Dent
was a flight risk.

Dent was to be back at the county jail by 6 p.m. Oct. 23. He never showed up.

Prince told Dent during his furlough hearing that if he skipped town
while on furlough he would Dent has pled guilty to one drug charge
before his furlough was granted.

As part of his agreement, Dent promised not to commit any new crimes,
use alcohol or drugs, and submit to being searched and tested for
alcohol or drugs upon turning himself in.

"If you violate this, it will be 30 years. Period," Prince said
during the hearing. "And I will not waver from it."

Dent is still scheduled for sentencing on the drug trafficking
charges on Nov. 28.

Prince did not return a Ledger reporter's phone call for comment Monday.

Dent was signed out of jail by Walter Henderson, a reserve lieutenant
with the Davenport police.

Henderson was placed on administrative leave by Davenport Police
Chief Charles Clements, who also has asked the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement to conduct an investigation.

Chip Thullbery, administrative assistant to State Attorney Jerry
Hill, said he did not know whether Dent would be facing any
additional charges because of his escape.