The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man for human trafficking, resulting in the rescue of a victim. On November 4, 2024, deputies arrested Rico Gardner, 45, during an undercover operation. He was charged with Transporting for Prostitution and Deriving Support from the Proceeds of Prostitution. During the investigation, detectivesContinue Reading
Special Agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Orlando arrested nine individuals identified as illegal aliens during a recent operation. Among those arrested was a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua gang from Venezuela. The individuals taken into custody had criminal histories that included homicide, kidnapping, cocaineContinue Reading
On March 11, 2025, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), in coordination with the Florida Attorney General’s Office, Tampa International Airport Police Department (TPAPD), Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested five individuals involved in an auto theft ring targeting rental vehicles. The investigation began inContinue Reading
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Mark Renner, 68, of Yulee, on March 10, 2025, on 26 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The investigation began in December 2022 when FDLE agents received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children (NCMEC) regardingContinue Reading
A Bell man has been arrested following a shooting that left one person critically injured. On March 12, 2025, at approximately 8:50 a.m., the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting in the 20th block of NW 30th Street in Bell, Florida. Deputies arrived on scene by 8:56Continue Reading
Columbia County deputies arrested a Lake City man on multiple charges following a search warrant that resulted in the discovery of over 4 pounds of methamphetamine, a stolen vehicle, and two firearms. On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, detectives with the Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 139 SEContinue Reading
Investigators in St. Petersburg have upgraded charges against 33-year-old Kyle Hill from DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide to first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder following a fatal crash on March 9, 2025. Shortly before 8 p.m., Hill reportedly argued with his ex-girlfriend, who then left in a friend’s vehicle. HillContinue Reading
53-year-old man who intentionally ran over a woman with his vehicle, killing her after a domestic dispute in 2022, has been sentenced to life in prison. On Monday, March 10, 2025, Collier County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Krier sentenced Donald Lee Whitaker to life in prison. A jury found Whitaker guiltyContinue Reading
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Kelly Rae Short, 57, of Milton, for grand theft. Short is the former treasurer of the Santa Rosa County Association of School Administrators (SRCASA) and the former director of in-service and instructional technology for the Santa Rosa County school district. The investigationContinue Reading
During Bike Week 2025, the Port Orange Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit conducted “Operation Full Throttle,” a proactive online operation targeting individuals engaging in the sexual exploitation of children. The operation, conducted in collaboration with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Lake City Police Department, SouthContinue Reading