A 46-year-old man is facing a felony grand theft charge after he was accused of stealing cigar cutters from The Equestrian Hotel in Ocala.
On Tuesday, November 28, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal responded to the World Equestrian Center (1750 NW 80th Avenue in Ocala) in reference to a theft incident. Upon arrival, the corporal made contact with two members of WEC’s security team, according to the arrest report.
The corporal noted that on November 4, WEC hosted a Food and Wine Festival in Expo Center One. Shortly before 4 p.m., a man attending the event entered a store located on the bottom floor of The Equestrian Hotel. He was later identified as Daniel Lee Gomori.
The report stated that the store’s video surveillance footage showed Gomori walking around the store before approaching cigar cutters that were on display near the main counter. He then picked up two cigar cutters and appeared to place one of them “in his right shirt sleeve.”
When Gomori exited the store, the corporal observed on the footage that the two cigar cutters were “no longer in the display area.” In the report, the corporal noted that the approximate combined value of the stolen cigar cutters was $2,600.
During an investigation into the theft, the corporal spoke with a woman who identified herself as Gomori’s mother. She confirmed that she had attended the Food and Wine event with Gomori and several other individuals on November 4, according to the report.
The corporal stated in the report that Gomori was positively identified as the suspect from the video surveillance footage and photographs that were provided to his mother.
According to the report, the corporal spoke with Gomori over the phone. During that conversation, Gomori admitted to taking the cigar cutters “because they looked cool” and “were just lying on the counter.”
Gomori was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and he was later released on $2,000 bond. He is being charged with grand theft over $750 but less than $5,000.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.