HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Nita Hope Beckwith Melaugh, 57, the former Executive Officer of the Hernando Builder’s Association, on charges of Grand Theft. Melaugh, a seven-year employee of the organization, is accused of illegally using over $43,000 in association funds for personal expenses.Continue Reading
WINTER HAVEN, FL – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested eight people in connection with a violent disturbance of the peace that occurred at Lake Winterset on August 2. The incident, which was captured on a social media video, took place on private property and involved multiple people engagedContinue Reading
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL – A 39-year-old man, identified as Adam Michael Franz, has been arrested on multiple lewd and lascivious charges involving a female victim under the age of 16. Franz, a friend of the victim’s family, allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with the juvenile multiple times over theContinue Reading
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Daniel Cuevas, 47, of Orlando, on one count of trafficking 28 grams or more of fentanyl. The investigation began in July 2025 when FDLE Fort Myers agents received information that a high-level member of a Mexican cartel, later identifiedContinue Reading
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Orlando, working with multiple federal and state agencies, has arrested Arturo Perez-Rodriguez, a Mexican national with a history of violent crimes, who was wanted in Ohio for illegally reentering the United States after a felony deportation. Rodriguez has prior chargesContinue Reading
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, in a joint operation with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Corrections, conducted a county-wide compliance sweep called “Operation Knock Knock” during the week of July 28. The multi-agency effort involved unannounced residential visits to registeredContinue Reading
ORLANDO, FL – A Honduran national, Osman Donaldo Zapata, has been arrested and indicted for allegedly operating a years-long fraud scheme that involved running shell companies, cashing millions of dollars in checks for illegal workers, and evading payroll taxes. The arrest is the result of a collaborative investigation by theContinue Reading
FORT MEADE, FL – An argument over bedding turned violent Sunday evening, July 27, 2025, leading to the arrest of a Fort Meade woman on attempted murder charges. Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence around 5:18 p.m. following a report of a battery in progress. According toContinue Reading
DAVENPORT, FL – A vacationer from the United Kingdom is facing serious charges after allegedly attempting to drown his daughter-in-law during an argument at a resort rental home. On Sunday, August 3, 2025, around 5:19 p.m., Polk County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a disturbance at a vacation home in theContinue Reading
TAMPA, Fla. — A 29-year-old man is in custody after opening fire on two apartment staff members and barricading himself inside a vehicle at the Viridian Apartments on Wednesday morning, July 30, 2025. Around 9:59 a.m., the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of an erratic individual at theContinue Reading