Big Pine man arrested for motel burglary

A Big Pine Key man was arrested Monday morning after he broke in to a room at the Big Pine Motel.

61 year old Mark Moses reportedly tried to check into the motel Sunday night but his credit card was declined and he didn’t have enough cash to pay in advance. The following morning at 6 a.m., a guest reported loud noise coming from room #22 and broken glass outside of the room. When the motel owner went to check on it, he knocked on the door. He said a man opened the door, and then closed it quickly saying something about somebody shooting something.

The owner then called for help from the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies Kim Trullender and Jon Riggs responded. They knocked on the door and Moses answered. He was naked. They got him to exit the room without any issues and helped him to cover himself. Moses had covered the broken window with a towel and a picture from the room.

Inside the room, they found evidence Moses had entered the room using a coral rock to break the window. Moses had removed a steam cleaning machine from one of the maid’s closets at the hotel and had it in the room. He also had cleaning supplies, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, prescription pills, cold medicine, wet clothing and marijuana strewn all over the room.

Moses was arrested. He was charged with defrauding an innkeeper, criminal mischief, burglary, theft, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was booked into jail.