Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the takedown of a large-scale criminal operation involving payment card fraud, fuel theft, and possession of animal fighting equipment, following an investigation led by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE). The investigation was launched afterContinue Reading
A traffic stop led to a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday evening, June 27, prompting a death investigation by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. The incident began in North Port when a North Port Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop. The stop continued into Charlotte County and endedContinue Reading
John James Sales, 29, a youth baseball coach and volunteer at church youth programs, was arrested on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, by Ocala Police Detective Drake. Sales faces charges of lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd or lascivious conduct involving multiple juvenile victims. The investigation began on March 31, 2025,Continue Reading
St. Petersburg Police detectives have arrested Desiree Rentz, 31, in connection with the death of a nine-month-old boy who was in her care in July, 2024. Rentz faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and misrepresentation of a childcare license resulting in death. The investigation began on July 25,Continue Reading
David Robert McKeown, 47, a middle school teacher at United Brethren in Christ (UBIC) Academy in Holly Hill, has been arrested on 19 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and six felony counts of sexually abusing animals. The arrest, a collaborative effort between the Florida Department ofContinue Reading
A road rage incident on June 11, 2025, near the intersection of West Hillsborough Avenue and Harney Road, culminated in the arrest of a three-time convicted felon thanks to a collaborative effort between the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the Tampa Police Department (TPD). Corey Alexander Jackson, 42, allegedlyContinue Reading
Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) detectives have arrested and charged 16-year-old Jonathan Granados of Lakeland, a convicted felon, with multiple new felonies, including attempted first-degree murder, after he allegedly planned a fight via social media, showed up with a firearm, and opened fire on another teen’s vehicle. Thankfully, no oneContinue Reading
A road rage incident near Haines City on Saturday, June 7, 2025, has led to the arrest of a Dundee man, Joseph Martinez, 35, who is now charged with Attempted 2nd Degree Murder after allegedly firing a handgun at another vehicle. At approximately 4:13 p.m., Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO)Continue Reading
A man who claimed he was robbed at gunpoint during a poker game has been arrested and charged with filing a false report, giving false information to law enforcement, and battery, after detectives determined his story was fabricated. This marks at least the third time he has been charged withContinue Reading
An Auburndale man, Tyler Mountain, 28, was arrested on June 11, 2025, accused of repeatedly peeping into the homes of two female neighbors, stemming from an investigation that began in late April. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) started investigating complaints about suspicious behavior by Mountain on April 30. OtherContinue Reading