By Alexandra Seltzer
The Palm Beach Post
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Boynton Beach firefighter was arrested Monday in Martin County and charged with stealing a man’s fishing equipment and selling it to pay his drug dealer, according to an arrest report.
Ryan Flattery, 28, of Juno Beach, faces charges of burglary and grand theft.
The owner of the fishing equipment, Michael Glass of Tequesta, told Martin County sheriff’s detectives on May 30 that someone went into his garage and took “several fishing poles and reels” valued at about $20,000.
Two days later, he told detectives that his boat captain went looking for the stolen equipment and found it at a fishing equipment store, Just Fishing Inc., in Lake Park.
The captain knew it was the man’s equipment because his name is on the poles, the report said.
Dan Friedman, the owner of the store, told detectives that he bought the equipment on May 30 for $4,000 from Flattery.
Friedman said Flattery told him he was a firefighter in Boynton Beach.
Flattery initially told detectives he took the rods and reels because the victim owed him money from a bet.
He then changed his story and said he had a “substance abuse problem” and sold the equipment to get money to pay a drug dealer who he owed money to, the report said. Flattery admitted he stole the equipment.
He said he drove to the store and sold all but three reels for $1,750.
On Monday, the detective called Flattery and told him to turn himself in, which he did soon after, the report said.
Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Chief Ray Carter could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday evening.
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