Islamorada Man Tased After Punching Clerk During Beer Theft

Johnny Lee Powers, 41, of Naples walked into the Tom Thumb at Mile Marker 88.5 in Islamorada just after 10 p.m. on April 1 and grabbed an 18-pack of beer. When a store clerk stepped in to stop the theft, Powers punched the employee in the face, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Deputies arriving at the Overseas Highway store found Powers refusing to comply with commands and deployed a TASER to bring him into custody.

The clerk sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the assault. Authorities did not release further details about the employee's condition.

Powers was booked into the Monroe County detention system and faces charges of battery, theft, and resisting or obstructing officers. The Sheriff's Office will forward the case to the state attorney's office, where a conviction on battery and related charges could carry jail time, fines, and court-ordered restitution, with the specific outcome depending on Powers' prior record and any plea arrangements reached with prosecutors.

The Tom Thumb near Mile Marker 88.5 sits along one of the busiest stretches of the Overseas Highway, where tourist traffic keeps convenience stores busy through the late-night hours. Those stores typically run on lean staffing after dark, leaving clerks with little backup when a shoplifting attempt turns physical. Law enforcement and Upper Keys businesses have increasingly discussed camera systems, improved lighting, and staff training as front-line defenses in exactly those situations.

Businesses that experience theft or assault can contact the Islamorada Sheriff's Station at 86800 Overseas Highway by calling 305-664-6480 during business hours or the Monroe County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 305-289-2371 after hours. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys at 305-471-8477 or at CrimeStoppers305.com. Surveillance footage, written incident logs, and witness contact information are the evidence types deputies and prosecutors find most useful when building retail theft and battery cases.