Charlotte County, FL — A Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office detective has been honored for the second consecutive year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for his role in bringing a child predator to justice.
Detective Don Woelke was named Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The award recognizes his investigative work in locating and apprehending a suspect who lured a 13-year-old girl from Texas for sexual purposes.
According to officials, the case began in 2021 when the suspect, Vincent Joseph Robusto, convinced the teenage girl to tell her parents she was attending a church retreat. Robusto then purchased the girl a one-way airline ticket to meet him in Fort Myers.
After she arrived in Florida, Robusto traveled with the girl across Southwest Florida in an attempt to evade law enforcement. Authorities eventually located and arrested him in Charlotte County.
Although the arrest occurred nearly five years ago, the case continued through the federal court system. The trial concluded in January 2025, and Robusto was sentenced in June 2025.
Thanks in part to Woelke’s detailed investigation and testimony during the trial, Robusto, now 41, was sentenced to nearly 34 years in federal prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release.
Woelke has served with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for 21 years and has spent more than a decade assigned to the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. In total, he has 27 years of law enforcement experience.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande Viacava nominated Woelke for the award, citing his leadership and coordination with law enforcement agencies across Southwest Florida and in Dilley, Texas. Officials said his work was instrumental in gathering the evidence needed to secure a conviction and remove a dangerous predator from the community.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell praised Woelke’s dedication to protecting vulnerable victims.
“I cannot think of anyone more deserving than Don to receive this award,” Prummell said. “He is passionate about his work and has embraced the challenges that come with this difficult position. Don is truly an asset to the task force and to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, protecting our most vulnerable population from the vilest of crimes.”
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