Addressing the Challenge: Sex Offenders and Sexual Predators in Polk County, Florida Polk County, Florida, like many communities, faces the complex challenge of managing and monitoring sex offenders and sexual predators within its borders. The safety and well-being of residents are paramount, prompting law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and residents to collaborate on initiatives aimed … Read more
Around midnight during Tuesday evening/the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 26, 2020, two black males entered the Carefree Cove area of Winter Haven, and approached a vehicle that had two people sitting inside. According to the victims, the two black males forced the driver from the vehicle and battered him. The victims also stated … Read more
A Lake Wales man remains hospitalized after his bicycle was struck by a vehicle on Monday, October 12, 2020, at about 10:38 pm. The driver of the truck drove away from the crash. 26-year-old Joshua Mathews of Frostproof was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Serious Bodily Injury … Read more
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a deputy-involved shooting inYoel Arnaldo Mejia Santel unincorporated Frostproof that occurred on Freedom Drive around 9:00 pm on October 14, 2020. At 6:56 pm, deputies responded to the residence following a report of a family disturbance by the suspect’s sister. She told deputies that her brother, 28-year-old Yoel … Read more
A convicted felon racked up 19 charges (9 felonies and 10 misdemeanors) on Sunday, October 4, 2020, after fleeing from a residential burglary and leading PCSO deputies and Lake Alfred Police Officers in a short pursuit. According to his affidavits, around 6:40 p.m. that evening, Lake Alfred Police Officers responded to a burglary that had … Read more
Polk County Sheriff’s Fraud detectives arrested 32-year-old Amanda Brown of Frostproof and charged her with five counts criminal use of personal ID (F2), one count grand theft (F3), one count misrepresentation of proceeds (F3), one count fraud (F3), for fraudulently misrepresenting three homicide victims’ families and collecting over $11,000 from GoFundMe on their behalf. “This … Read more
On September 3, 2020, PCSO deputies arrested a contracted youth correctionalAlexis Wilson employee with the Department of Juvenile Justice, Alexis Jemille Wilson (45 years-old) for DUI (M1). Wilson was driving a gray Ford Fusion near the intersection of Highway 17-92 and Johnson Avenue East in Haines City when a Haines City Police Department officer observed … Read more
On August 26, 2020, 35-year-old Winston Sanchez of Fort Meade was arrested forWinston Sanchez burglary (F3) and grand theft (F3) of a tandem bicycle. On August 22, 2020, the victim contacted the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to report the theft. According to the affidavit, the victim told deputies that “the bicycle was used to assist … Read more
On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, Traffic Homicide detectives arrested 51-year-old Sandra Mayberry of Haines City for DUI Manslaughter (F2). Mayberry was the driver of a singleSandra Mayberry vehicle crash that occurred on April 25, 2020, which killed her passenger, 57-year-old Michael Browning, also of Haines City. According to the affidavit, “A search warrant was obtained … Read more
Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a teacher from Lakeland’s Lake Gibson Middle School on Thursday, June 25, 2020, after it was discovered that she had sexual relations with a juvenile. The teacher, 49-year-old Leslie Bushart of Lakeland, was booked into the Polk County Jail, charged with Lewd Battery (F-2). During her arrest, … Read more