FCSO Arrests 18-Year-Old Man for Depriving Custody of Minor After Multi-State Investigation
BUNNELL, Fla. — On Monday, deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested an 18-year-old Palm Coast man on charges of depriving custody of a minor following a multi-state investigation that ended in him being found in Houston, Texas, with a missing child.
Deputies responded to Beckner Lane on Jan. 11 to a report of a missing 15-year-old girl. The girl’s father told deputies he believed his daughter was with Brandon Lee Gray II, 18, of Palm Coast, and that Gray had previously taken the juvenile out of state without permission in December of 2025. At that time, the girl was located with Gray in Valdosta, Georgia, and Gray was explicitly told the girl was 15 years old and that he was not permitted to have contact with her. The prior incident was not reported to law enforcement.
Brandon Lee Gray II (Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility mug shot)
FCSO detectives determined Gray had purchased two bus tickets to Houston, Texas, under fictitious names using his mother’s bank account. Working with the Houston Police Department, they located the juvenile at a bus station in Houston on Jan. 11. She was placed in protective custody by the Houston Police Department Missing Persons Unit and returned to Florida.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant on Jan. 14 and the FCSO Fugitive Unit began searching for Gray. On Jan. 26, the FCSO Fugitive Unit determined that Gray had returned to Palm Coast. Gray was taken into custody at his residence by the FCSO Fugitive Unit. Gray was on felony juvenile probation at the time of his arrest for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon stemming from a 2023 incident.
Brandon Lee Gray II (Arrest Photo)
Following his arrest, deputies discovered Gray had concealed two electronic vape pens on his person when entering the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. The vape devices were strapped to Gray’s penis using hair ties. Gray told deputies he panicked and failed to disclose the items. He was additionally arrested with two counts of smuggling a vapor electronic device into a correctional institution.
“This case shows just how important it is for parents to be involved in their child’s life,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “I commend our deputies and investigators for quickly tracking this child to Houston and working with Texas authorities to quickly recover this child and return her home. We were able to locate the missing juvenile the same day she was reported missing, despite her being nearly 1,000 miles from home and this dirtbag went to jail.”
The juvenile was connected with mental health resources through the FCSO Behavioral Response Unit.
Deputies arrested Gray for depriving custody of a minor, two counts of smuggling a vapor electronic device into a correctional institution, and felony violation of probation. He was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was later released on a $16,000 bond.
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