Miami-Dade man faces charges for his alleged role in a scheme to steal nearly $1M from businesses
A Miami-Dade County man is facing criminal charges after detectives accused him and his boss of running a conspiracy to steal cargo from five businesses, including Walmart, authorities announced on Monday.
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Miami-Dade trio of suspected deer poachers face charges in FWC officer’s attack
From left, Rodrigo Alberto Mato La Rosa, 27, Lazaro Milian, 50, and Michel Amalfi, 45, face charges in the Jan. 2 attack of a FWC officer in Polk County. The FWC officer suspected the men were poaching deer after he saw someone shining a spotlight and heard a shot was fired, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. State and local authorities identified the suspected deer poachers from Miami-Dade County as Rodrigo Alberto Mato La Rosa, 27, Michel Amalfi, 45, and Lazaro Milian, 50. Detectives arrested Mato La Rosa on Sunday night in Hialeah. Amalfi, Milian, and Mato La Rosa are each facing charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
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2 in custody after Florida wildlife officer run over by ATV
AVON PARK, Fla. – Polk County authorities have two people in custody and were searching for a third person after a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer was run over by an ATV during a Saturday night confrontation. WTVT-TV of Tampa reported that the officer was patrolling the Avon Park Bombing Range when he spotted three people shining a spotlight into the Avon Park Bombing Range property. When the officer approached the individuals, a scuffle broke out. The assailants ran over the officer as they fled the scene, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The officer was taken to the hospital, treated for injuries and released.
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Racketeering ring steals baby items worth nearly 85K from Florida grocery stores, sheriff says
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A racketeering ring whose retail thefts amounted to almost $85,000 in items such as baby formula, diapers, and energy drinks has been arrested. According to Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Publix, Winn-Dixie and Walmart stores, in 18 counties in central Florida were the targets of the group. Five of the suspects (boosters) would enter the stores, and place dozens of cans of baby formula into reusable shopping bags. Each “shopping trip” amounted to a range between $350 to 900 worth of stolen items. Detectives continued their investigation and surveillance of where the stolen items were taken after the thefts.
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Florida woman dies weeks after being run over while defending son
POLK CITY, Fla. – Deputies say a Florida woman has died weeks after a group of teenagers intentionally ran over her as she defended her son. Investigators say the four teens showed up at Suzette Penton’s house and assaulted her son on Nov. 9. Polk County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Hortsman says Penton died last week from her injuries. She says a van carrying the four teens ran over her after she went outside to confront them. She says the teens went to the home because of a “romantic entanglement” between the teens and Penton’s son.
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Surveillance video released in ‘massacre’ of 3 friends on Florida fishing trip
Suspects are Tony “TJ” Wiggins, 26, Mary Whittemore, 27, the girlfriend of TJ, and William” “Robert” Wiggins, 21, the brother of TJ, all of Frostproof. At the direction of TJ, Robert was told to make a U-turn and follow them, according to police. They went back to their trailer to eat, Robert told detectives. Judd said that Robert told TJ what he had heard. TJ Wiggins was also seen in that video with her.
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3 Florida friends ‘massacred’ during fishing trip
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Three friends were murdered moments after getting together to do some night fishing at a lake. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Saturday that the men were beaten and shot late Friday night near the city of Frostproof. “Brandon was able to say a few things to his dad, which we are not releasing at this time,” Grady said. On the Polk County Sheriff’s website, a news release stated that “Brandon’s dad left his home so fast, he forgot his cell phone. The area where the three men were killed is about 68 miles southwest of Orlando and more than 200 miles from Miami.
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SWAT team fatally shoots murder suspect after standoff
POINCIANA, Fla. – A Florida SWAT team fatally shot a murder suspect early Monday after investigators say he pulled a gun on them after barricading himself inside a house. Arenas pulled out a wad of cash and started counting it, Judd said. The SWAT team was brought out. The SWAT team then shot him with beanbags, knocking him down, and his gun fell to the floor. Judd said both Arenas and Orlando Rivera had long criminal histories in Florida and elsewhere — Arenas in Rhode Island and Rivera in Philadelphia.

17 arrests made in Florida child porn sting; 2 worked for Disney
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Authorities in central Florida say two Disney workers and a former assistant principal at a middle school were among 17 arrested in a child porn sting. In a news release, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Friday that the 17 men arrested range in age from 19 to 77. Authorities say 52-year-old Walt Disney World Resorts janitor Donald Durr, of Davenport, had images of child porn on an electronic tablet. Investigators say 40-year-old Brett Kinney, of Lake Alfred, told officers he had an addiction to child pornography and worked as a guest experience manager at Disney World. In a statement, Disney says Kinney is no longer employed by the company and Durr is on unpaid leave.

Deputies: Teen gamer arrested after posting violent threats
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Investigators in Florida have arrested a 17-year-old gamer who they say made violent and disturbing online threats to kill and stab multiple people. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release that tips from users of the Discord text-chat site led detectives to the teen, who was arrested Wednesday. He says the teen admitted to making the threats after becoming jealous of other gamers. Officials say the teen wrote that he was "going to kill so many people," adding that he wanted to stab people and "make them hurt." Another text said he gets happy when he imagines himself "being a villain going on a mass murdering spree like in a movie."

Police investigating possible Florida alligator attack
FORT MEADE, Fla. - Police are investigating a possible alligator attack after a man's body was found in a Florida canal Thursday. Polk County deputies say an alligator was seen nearby when the body was found in the Fort Meade-area canal around 7:30 a.m. The 12-foot, 449 pound alligator was captured and a necropsy will be performed to see if the animal was involved in the man's death, WFTS reports. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is assisting in the investigation. Copyright 2019 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.