Clearwater homeowner awakened by barking dogs finds naked man in kitchen

A Clearwater man awoke to his dogs barking on a recent morning to find a naked man in his kitchen.

The man’s dogs awoke him about 6:30 a.m. Friday at his home on Barry Street in Clearwater. That’s when the homeowner found the naked man, Clearwater police reported.

The homeowner told the intruder to get out of his house, at which point the naked man grabbed two knives and ran away, police said.

Police, with the help of a K-9, found the man nearby in an enclosed screen porch hiding under a swing. Officers arrested him on two charges of armed burglary. Police said three people were in the house on Barry Street at the time of the intrusion, including a 3-month-old baby.

Police identified the intruder as Jesse Ramon Conover, 32, of Clearwater. Arrest reports indicate he appeared to be under the influence of drugs when he was arrested.

He was booked at the Pinellas County jail with bail initially set at $100,000. An assistant public defender was appointed to represent Conover and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

Records show Conover has an arrest history that includes charges of strong-arm robbery, aggravated battery, domestic battery, drug possession and drunken driving.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison on strong-arm robbery charges in 2010. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison on drug charges last year.

His release date was May 8.