2 Bradenton family members and friend face sex, drug, child neglect charges

BRADENTON -- A brother and a sister and a friend are facing drug, sex and child neglect charges, after a two-week long investigation into illegal activities at the home they shared, according to the Bradenton Police Department.

On Thursday, officers armed with a search warrant raided the home in the 1400 block of 12th Avenue West and arrested Anthony R. Graves, 28, Heaven Graves, 18, and Robert P. Francis, 56, according to a news release.

Francis is a friend who sleeps on the front porch of Graves' residence, according to Lt. James Racky.

Anthony R. Graves, a registered sex offender, is charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and tampering with physical evidence. The minor was his sister's friend, according to police. He is being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

Heaven Graves, is charged with possession of rock cocaine with intent to sell, possession of synthetic marijuana, possession of synthetic marijuana with intent to sell and child neglect. She is being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

Robert P. Francis, 56, is charged with possession of synthetic marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and on an out-of-county warrant for a failure to appear on an obstruction charge. Bond information was not available.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office Child Protective Investigative Division was called out to the home because police found Heaven Graves was living in the home and selling narcotics while having her 11-month-old baby with her. The baby was taken into protective custody because of the illegal narcotic sales and the uninhabitable conditions the home was found in.

Heaven Graves was seen sitting on a couch on the front porch when police arrived with the search warrant, according to her arrest report. On a table in front of her was a purse that she said was hers, with a cigarette pack with several pieces of rock cocaine inside, 10 clear baggies with a green, leafy substance and a sandwich bag with seven more baggies of the green, leafy substance.

"The defendant advised that she was selling the 'spice' for $5 and the rock cocaine for $20 a piece," Detective Yolanda Cox wrote.

Sitting nearby was Heaven's 11-month-old baby in a bouncer. The baby sleeps inside a pack-in-play in the mother's room 10 feet from a window Heaven Graves would sell drugs out of at night, police said.

Police also reported finding piles of dirty diapers, dirty clothes and trash on the floor throughout the home and drug paraphernalia on various tables.

Anthony R. Graves was found in a bathroom attached to a rear bedroom when police entered the home. He was found naked with a 17-year-old girl, according to his arrest. The girl initially told police she was his sister's friend and that she had run into his room when she heard a commotion outside.

Later at the Bradenton police station the girl and Heaven Graves were put in an interrogation room where a video camera captured them discussing the girl's sexual relationship with Heather's brother, police said.

Anthony Graves was also questioned about an armed robbery and the location of a firearm, the report states.

Anthony Graves was convicted in 2007 in New York of attempting to sexually abuse a 9-year-old girl.

Anyone with any information about this case can call Cox at 941-932-9310, or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000, call Crime Stoppers (toll free) at 1-866-634-8477 (TIPS) or send an anonymous E-Tip thru the web at www.manateecrimestoppers.com

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 4:01 PM with the headline "2 Bradenton family members and friend face sex, drug, child neglect charges ."