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Deputies conducted a traffic stop July 8 that put an end to a multistate crime spree. The driver, identified as 36-year-old felon Stephen Johnson, was arrested for unlawful possession of personal identification information, three counts of petit theft and violating probation for recent burglary charges in Pompano Beach.

Around 7 a.m. Friday, July 8, on southbound Interstate 95, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver Kia with a South Carolina tag after the car was seen impeding the flow of traffic in the left lane.

It also had a tag that wasn't registered to it, and deputies saw that the driver wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

The driver continuously slowed down to 45 mph to try to prevent a deputy from getting behind him, but the deputy was ultimately able to conduct a traffic stop.

The driver was identified as Johnson. Speaking with the deputy, he provided an AVIS rental agreement for the Kia, but deputies confirmed that the tag attached to the vehicle was not assigned to it: It hd been stolen from a 2007 Saturn Outlook from Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, and was affixed to the Kia's Florida tag with double-sided tape.

Johnson at first said he didn’t know why his Florida tag was concealed by the South Carolina tag, or where the tag came from, but. soon after, he said that he'd “found it.”

Deputies arrested Johnson for the stolen tag and for probation violation. 

Deputies then searched the vehicle and found the same double-sided tape in the center console and stuck to the visor sunglass holder.

Behind the passenger seat, they found a purse with ID documents for a Clay County resident who confirmed that she'd been a victim of a car burglary on July 8.

Deputies also found two laptop computers and four cell phones. One of the laptops appeared to be owned by a health care company.

Also recovered was a green notebook containing multiple usernames and password credentials for medical databases, believed to belong to the laptop owner’s company.

When questioned about the items found in the car, Johnson told deputies that he'd bought the laptop off the internet, but didn’t know where it was from.

Deputies confirmed that the was owned by a health care company.

Johnson’s criminal history dates back to 2004.

He’s been charged with 70 felonies prior to his arrest in Flagler County, and has been convicted on 31 felony charges and 15 misdemeanor charges.

“This dirtbag made the mistake of driving through Flagler County after committing crimes in South Carolina and Clay County, Florida,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Fortunately, an eagle-eye deputy brought his crime spree to a halt before he could prey on our community. Even after 70 felony charges for various crimes, and convicted 31 times since 2004, he hasn’t learned his lesson. Time for him to go away to prison so he can no longer prey on people. I’m proud of the deputy who was patrolling our roadways that led to putting this felon back behind bars where he belongs.”

Johnson is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on no bond.

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