A Clearwater man faces multiple felony burglary and grand theft charges stemming from separate commercial burglary investigations in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, according to court records and arrest affidavits filed in Pinellas County Circuit Court.
Roderick Earl Goodson, 64, was arrested on January 5, 2026, on an active felony warrant issued by the St. Petersburg Police Department. The warrant was approved on June 26, 2025, following an investigation into a commercial burglary at the Plaza Tower office building in St. Petersburg.
According to the St. Petersburg affidavit, investigators allege that between June 16 and June 17, 2025, Goodson unlawfully entered a closed and unoccupied office suite on the eighth floor of the Plaza Tower, located at 111 2nd Avenue Northeast. Surveillance video allegedly shows Goodson placing a large suitcase inside the office, remaining in the building overnight, and later removing seven laptop computers, two Apple iPads, and Apple AirPods, with a total value of approximately $12,050.
Detectives reported that facial recognition software and surveillance imagery linked Goodson to the St. Petersburg burglary. A warrant for burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft over $10,000 was issued as a result.
While the St. Petersburg case was pending, Clearwater Police were investigating a separate burglary at an office building located at 600 Cleveland Street in Clearwater. According to Clearwater arrest affidavits, investigators allege that on June 8, 2025, at approximately 8:01 a.m., Goodson unlawfully entered multiple unoccupied office suites within the building after finding an unsecured door and defeating the locks with a tool.
The Clearwater investigation alleges that Goodson entered two offices and stole multiple laptop computers. Eight Dell laptop computers valued at $17,199.36 were reported stolen from a CPA firm. Additional Dell Latitude laptops valued at $5,565 were reported stolen from another suite.
Detectives stated the Clearwater case was developed using surveillance footage, facial recognition, and coordination with other law enforcement agencies. During a post-Miranda interview, Goodson allegedly confessed to the burglaries. According to the affidavits, he told investigators he selected office buildings near bus terminals that were easier to enter and more likely to contain electronics. He also stated he sold the stolen computers through online marketplaces, including Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, in Southeast Florida. When asked why he committed the crimes, Goodson stated that the criminal justice system failed him by releasing him from jail too early and that he did what he needed to do to survive.
Goodson was later booked into the Pinellas County Jail on January 29, 2026, in connection with the Clearwater cases.
Goodson faces multiple felony charges, including burglary of an unoccupied structure under Florida Statute 810.02 and grand theft under Florida Statute 812.014. The investigations were conducted by the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Clearwater Police Department.