Volusia County Corrections Lieutenant Accused of Taking $850 Trading-Card Box From Orlando GameStop
Joseph Anthony Brown says he believed his online order was valid and expected to be charged.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A Volusia County corrections lieutenant is accused of taking an approximately $850 box of Magic: The Gathering cards from an Orlando GameStop. The defendant, Joseph Anthony Brown, 52, of Port Orange, has pleaded not guilty.
Brown appears in 2025 Volusia County payroll listings as a corrections lieutenant. Volusia Exposed, citing James Madison Audits, also identifies him as a county corrections lieutenant. The records reviewed for this story do not establish whether he is currently assigned to the Volusia County Branch Jail.
According to an Orlando Police Department arrest-warrant affidavit, Brown visited the GameStop at 2430 S. Kirkman Road on September 2 and asked to inspect a Hobbit Collect Booster Box kept in a locked display case. An employee told investigators he could find a separate order for an approximately $80 box, but not a valid order for the $850 item. Police allege Brown left with the more expensive box while the employee was occupied with a UPS delivery.
The detective wrote that store surveillance, account records and employee statements supported the theft allegation. The affidavit says Brown’s account showed a purchase of the same product at a Sanford GameStop that day, but no purchase at the Kirkman Road store.
Brown disputed the employees’ account during a September 16 interview with the detective. He said he believed he had purchased the Kirkman box online, had shown an order screenshot to the employee and expected to be charged afterward. According to the affidavit, Brown later found no corresponding bank charge and acknowledged receiving an email saying the order had been canceled.
Volusia Exposed’s review of the case describes it as a “$850 trading-card theft.” That figure is the approximate value alleged in the police affidavit, not a court finding.
An Orange County judge issued a warrant for third-degree grand theft involving property valued at $750 or more but less than $5,000. An Orange County Sheriff’s Office report says Brown turned himself in on September 21. The report describes him as cooperative during the arrest.
The court docket shows Brown filed a written not-guilty plea on September 22.
The charge is an allegation. Brown is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Court documents
Five public filings from Orange County case 2026-CF-012868-A-O. Personal addresses, contact information and identifiers have been obscured in these reading copies. The originals remain available through the Orange County Clerk’s docket. One docket entry is marked non-public and is not included.
Notice of appearance and written not-guilty plea (2 pages)
Waiver of appearance at pretrial conference (2 pages)
Arrest affidavit (5 pages)
Arrest warrant (3 pages)
Affidavit supporting the arrest warrant (5 pages)
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