Mulberry, Florida – According to a Polk County Sheriff’s Department arrest affidavit 3 people have been arrested in the last 4 weeks in reference to an armed robbery in Mulberry. The suspects are believed to have conspired together to rob a Polk County man of a $50,000 scratch off lottery ticket. According to reports Mercedes Hunter (DOB 1/23/1991 of Mulberry) , David Day (DOB 9/30/1981 of Mulberry) & Dustin Cristofaro (DOB 5/17/1986 of Mulberry) attempted to rob the victim who was staying at Hunter’s brothers home. The victim was staying at a home on Topher Trail in Mulberry with Hunter and her brother Brandon Kostas. According to the affidavit Hunter contacted Day and told him that the victim had a $50,000 winning scratch off ticket that he had not turned in yet. She allegedly told Day it was hidden inside a book. On July 12, 2016 at approximately 12:30am, Hunter allegedly left the door unlocked at the residence on Topher Trail. At that time Day & Cristofaro allegedly entered the residence armed with a gun. Cristofaro allegedly held Brandon Kostas at gunpoint while Day looked for the lottery ticket. Day could not find the lottery ticket and eventually just grabbed two pillow cases with the victim’s affects in them and they pair fled. They later dumped out the pillow cases and nothing of any significant value was in them. Later in the investigation Day was questioned and allegedly admitted to the robbery and provided corroborating information on Hunter & Cristofaro. Another man was at the scene of the robbery with Day & Cristofaro appears not to have been charged. He allegedly had just went with the two men thinking they were buying methamphetamine. He did corroborate that Cristofaro & Day went to the residence and came running out.
