Tipster to receive $2,500 reward

BY WANDA J. DeMARZO
wdemarzo@MiamiHerald.com

A homeless tipster in the deputy slaying case will get a $2,500 reward from the National Police Defense Foundation.

The homeless man who helped capture an escaped inmate accused of killing a Broward Sheriff's deputy will receive a $2,500 reward from a national foundation. Mark Spradley will get the reward on Monday, during visitation for Deputy Paul Rein, 76, who was slain Wednesday as he drove an inmate to court.

The National Police Defense Foundation posts up to a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of any person that shoots a law enforcement officer. It usually waits for a conviction to pay but is making an exception for Spradley.
''Because of the extenuating circumstances in this case, the national board made an amendment so that he can receive some of the money now,'' said Michael Calderin, the South Florida delegate to the foundation. He is also the supervisor of Broward County Crime Stoppers.
"He will likely receive the rest of the money as soon as there is a resolution to the case.''
Spradley had given a ride to Paul Mazza, the target of a massive manhunt, when he walked into a Hollywood pawnshop and saw Mazza's photo on TV. He alerted the pawnshop manager that Mazza was waiting outside in his car. The manager, Scott Kelly, called 911. Police came, and Mazza was captured.

Kelly and Spradley may also get a reward from Crime Stoppers, which was offering $25,000 in the case. Its board is expected to decide at the end of the month who will get the reward. The sticking point: The call was made to 911, not Crime Stoppers.
Spradley has been living in Broward County for the past six months in his car -- a prized vintage 1975 white Chevrolet Caprice. He bought it for $1,200 from a Las Vegas junkyard and built it from scratch.
''It's all I have, and I love it,'' Spradley said.
It was impounded for evidence, but Spradley got it back Friday.
BSO, meanwhile, provided him with a hotel room for two nights, a $200 Publix gift certificate and some clothes.

''I took up a collection for him in the building and gave it to him,'' said his attorney, Glenn Roderman, who is helping Spradley for free. ``But he said he'd be fine; he had his car back.''
Spradley spent two hours with Mazza, who identified himself as ''Tony,'' Spradley said.
''I tried to help him because he looked hurt and hungry,'' Spradley said.

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National Police Defense Foundation*
Mark Spadley
PO Box 318
Englishtown, NJ 07726


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