TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — What first appeared to be a routine transaction inside a longtime Tallahassee pawn shop ultimately became one of the pieces investigators say helped unravel a months-long burglary ring accused of targeting some of Leon County’s most vulnerable residents.
Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil and Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell announced Wednesday that four people have been arrested in connection with what investigators describe as an organized burglary and theft operation spanning Leon County and the city of Tallahassee.
Authorities identified the suspects as Joshua Anderson, 36; Alaric Goodman, 48; Amanda Goodman, 41; and Breyonia Hough, 30. Each faces charges that include racketeering, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.
Investigators allege the group began operating in December 2025, targeting vacant homes, unoccupied residences and homes belonging to recently deceased residents. According to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the suspects stole more than $70,000 worth of valuables, later selling or pawning many of the items.
One of those transactions led investigators to Folmar’s Pawn Shop, a family-owned Tallahassee business that has operated for nearly 50 years.
Owner Alex Folmar said employees recognized that items brought into the store matched property that had previously been reported stolen. As required by law, the business documented the transaction, collecting identification, vehicle information and surveillance footage before contacting law enforcement.
“We had the customer’s information, video, tag number, all that kind of stuff, and were able to recover the property and help in whatever way we could with that information,” Folmar told FOX49.
Court records show investigators traced stolen silver from a Leon County burglary to Folmar’s Pawn Shop. According to an arrest affidavit, records maintained by the business helped detectives connect one of the transactions to Hough, one of the four people now charged in the investigation.
Folmar said the people selling the items did not initially stand out.
Instead, it was the property itself.
“They kind of knew the right things to say to present it in a way where it seemed plausible,” Folmar said. “But the items themselves kind of told the story of what was going on.”
Investigators say that information became one part of a broader investigation that connected burglaries across multiple jurisdictions.
According to the sheriff’s office, detectives linked the cases through surveillance video, cellphone and location data, recovered property, pawn shop records and interviews with suspects before ultimately filing racketeering charges against the four defendants.
During Wednesday’s news conference, McNeil said the alleged crimes stood out because of the people investigators believe were targeted.
“Now we’ve got these knuckleheads out there engaged in crimes trying to take advantage of a person who’s lost their loved one,” McNeil said. “Can you imagine an unoccupied house of a person at their funeral and finding it’s been burglarized?”
Investigators believe the earliest burglary connected to the case dates to November 2025, and officials said the investigation remains active. Authorities disclosed Wednesday that they recently developed additional information that could lead to further charges as detectives continue following new leads.
McNeil credited collaboration between agencies and tips from the public with helping investigators build the case.
“A citizen came forward and said, ‘Here’s something you should be aware of,'” McNeil said. “The simple things you may think there’s nothing to may be the key to solving a major crime.”
Folmar said the case also highlights the importance of documentation for victims whose valuables are stolen.
He said photographs, detailed descriptions and records can make it significantly easier for investigators and pawn shops to identify property when it surfaces.
“We utilized technology, the reporting, the cameras — all of the tools at everyone’s disposal,” Folmar said. “Otherwise this family would’ve been without their items, and no one would’ve known where they ended up.”
The Leon County Sheriff’s Office said anyone who believes they may have been a victim or has information related to the burglaries is encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office or the Tallahassee Police Department. Investigators said the case remains active and additional charges are possible as the investigation continues.