NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A Zephyrhills man was arrested after Florida investigators allegedly discovered more than 1,000 files containing child sexual abuse material during a search of his home, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Authorities said 36-year-old Joseph Scott Dearborn was arrested on 15 countsContinue Reading
TAMPA, FL — An 11-month-old infant has been rescued from a dangerous international child exploitation and human trafficking operation following a months-long collaborative investigation involving the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Brazilian Federal Police. The targeted law enforcement operation in South America resultedContinue Reading
TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa woman has been indicted on federal charges after prosecutors say she concealed her aunt’s death in order to continue collecting benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Rebecca Stewart Vaughn, 64, is charged with four counts of wire fraudContinue Reading
ZEPHYRHILLS, FL — A 69-year-old Pasco County man was arrested Wednesday afternoon following an undercover operation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) targeting the distribution of illegal digital material. Frank Ruiz Tonin was taken into custody on April 29, 2026, and faces 18 felony counts related to theContinue Reading
TAMPA, Fla. — A man has been arrested in Minnesota after authorities identified him as the suspect in a bomb threat targeting an assisted living facility in Tampa, officials said. The incident occurred April 7, 2026, when the Colonnade at Carrollwood, located on South Village Drive, received a phone callContinue Reading
HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — A narcotics investigation in Spring Hill led to the seizure of trafficking-level drugs and the arrest of two individuals following a SWAT-assisted search warrant. On April 2, detectives with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Vice and Narcotics Unit, along with the SWAT Team, executed a searchContinue Reading
PLANT CITY, Fla. — A 36-year-old man accused in a fatal shooting in Plant City was arrested in Texas after investigators tracked him across multiple states, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced. Detectives said the shooting stemmed from an earlier disturbance involving several individuals at a nearby bar. The individualsContinue Reading
Brandon, FL — Two people have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at an apartment in Brandon earlier this week. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, detectives determined that James Sidney Llanos, 47, and his wife, Lizeina Marie Cepeda, 39, were subletting their apartment toContinue Reading
RUSKIN-WIMAUMA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of one of its own after a deputy died by suicide Tuesday morning. On March 3, 2026, at approximately 7:20 a.m., a family member of Deputy Jeremiah Stewart, 36, found him deceased outside his home from a self-inflictedContinue Reading
TAMPA, FL — A multi-week undercover operation in the Tampa Bay area has concluded with the arrest of 89 individuals and a staggering 1,217 combined felony charges. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) announced the results of the sting on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, revealing a net that caught everyoneContinue Reading