Man hides in chest of drawers, uses whiteboard in attempt to evade deputies

LAKELAND, Fla. — A Florida man wanted by deputies on several charges allegedly posted a sign on a whiteboard outside a house that claimed he did not live at the residence. Deputies weren’t buying it.

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According to a news release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies attempted to locate Johnny Steven Yates, 41, of Lakeland, at a residence on Saturday at about 2:45 p.m. EDT.

Yates was wanted for aggravated battery, false imprisonment and tampering, WFLA-TV reported.

According to the sheriff’s office, when deputies arrived, they saw a whiteboard leaning against a window with a message that stated, “Johnny Yates does NOT live here!”

“Gee … a dry-erase board never lied to us before,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “Should we believe it?”

The message lost its credibility when deputies interviewed a person who left the house, who allegedly said that Yates was inside the residence with several others, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies used a loudspeaker in an attempt to coax Yates outside, but after an hour of negotiations no progress had been made, WFLA reported.

The sheriff’s office then tossed “Surrender Smoke” into the home and four people exited.

Yates was not among them, so after a second round of smoke, deputies and K-9 Dexter entered the home, where the canine sniffed out the suspect.

According to the sheriff’s office, Yates was hiding in a modified chest of drawers.

He was arrested and booked into the Polk County South County Jail, online booking records show.

According to a criminal affidavit, Yates allegedly told deputies he ate methamphetamine and “blue pills,” WFLA reported.

“In regards to the four people who weren’t cooperating with deputies, each one received a parting gift: a charge of resisting and an all-expense paid trip to Grady Judd’s Bed & Breakfast,” the sheriff’s office said.

Yates remains in the county jail, with bail set at $44,500, online records show.