Lunsford was abducted from her home in the early morning of February 24, 2005, by John Couey, a 46-year-old convicted sex offender who lived nearby. Cole was arrested on the warrant for one count of Lewd and Lascivious Battery of a Child less than 16. Over the course of this operation, officials from the Citrus County Sheriffs Office, along with our partners at the United States Marshals Service Florida/Caribbean Fugitive Task Force (USMS FCFTF), the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Sumter County Sheriffs Office, Hernando County Sheriffs Office, Pasco County Sheriffs Office, Sarasota Police Department, and the Longwood Police Department worked collaboratively to capture these online child sex predators. 847.0135(4)(a), Seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child to engage in any illegal act F.S.S. (Evaded execution of the arrest warrant for over a year). While speaking with the complainant, the suspect returned to the scene in his vehicle. Exotic lost the suit and soon owed Baskin a lot of money. Dawn McDonald (DOB 5/30/1969), Lecanto, FL- Violation of Pretrial Release Terms F.S.S. Citrus County, FL: Drug Crime Lawyers, Attorneys and Law Firms (75 results) Filter Filter Clear all REVIEWS Credentials Super Lawyers rated FEATURES Offers virtual appointments Offers free consultation FEES & PAYMENTS Payments plans available Accepts credit cards SHOW BY DISTANCE 10 mi 30 mi 60 mi All LANGUAGE Apply Filters Ramon Luis Castro (DOB 8-21-42), of Hudson, FL. 784.041(2)(A). , Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, Intro to Firearms Class: $10! [10], On August 24, 2007, Couey was sentenced to death, in addition to three consecutive life sentences. [15][16][17], Mark Lunsford becoming an activist for children's rights after the murder of his daughter Jessica is the subject of the 2011 documentary film, Jessie's Dad. B. Crime Stoppers of Citrus County provides a method for you to safely and ANONYMOUSLY provide tips to Law Enforcement and PAYS CASH REWARDS for information that leads to an arrest, warrant and/or recovery of narcotics or stolen property. As the investigation progressed, Miranda claimed ownership of nine roosters for fighting. He was then sentenced to 35 years incarceration with the Florida Department of Corrections, lifetime Sexual Offender Probation, and will be required to register as a Sexual Predator. CCSOs Major Crimes detectives, along with Tactical Impact Unit (TIU) detectives continued to work collectively on this case. At the conclusion of the interview further evidence was collected in an attempt to support the victims statements. Cohen used the victim as a target for his anger and frustration, knowing they would be unable to fight back, said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. 847.0135 (3)(a), Sexual Offenders Failure to Register; Electronic Mail 943.0435(4)(e)(1), Sexual Offenders Failure to Register; Telephone Numbers 943.0435(4)(e)(2), and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device 934.215. Expand. (Citrus County, FL) Today, October 18, 2022, Citrus County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) Sergeant John Bergen graduates from the National Public Safety Innovation Academy (NIA). Over two weeks later, his head was found in a Florida canal, Time Magazine reported in 2016. Detectives interviewed Dlugos who confessed to 10 of the reported 11 burglaries. All throughout itshistory, Florida saw more than its fair share of Florida killers. Both detectives and Animal Control Officers attempted to make contact with Munn, who had bonded out from his previous arrest, and were unsuccessful. "This case is a landmark case for us here in Citrus County, said Sheriff Prendergast. He entered Lunsford's house at about three o'clock in the morning through an unlocked door, awakened Lunsford, told her "Don't yell or nothing", and told her to follow him out of the house. (Citrus County, FL) June 8, 2022, the Citrus County Sheriffs Offices (CCSO) High Tech Crimes Unit (HTCU) is releasing the results of Operation Cyber Knights, a strategic undercover Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) operation to apprehend dangerous, cyber predators who had the intent to engage in sexual activity with a child. This investigation is an exceptional example of what can be accomplished when different law enforcement and community partners work together to keep our citizens safe, said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. While speaking with detectives, Cohen admitted to the abuse and indicated he had observed the inflicted injuries prior to dropping the victim at daycare. Partnering with agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Homeland Security) Air and Marine Operations, and task force officers from the U.S. Her story was even told in the 2003 film Monster, which won Charlize Theron a Best Actress Oscar. The Missing Childrens Act, which requires missing minors to be entered into the FBIs National Crime Information Center database, was passed in 1982 thanks to their help. This year, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Tallahassee is home to more than 197,900 people. ontwo counts of murder-for-hire, eight counts of violating the Lacey Act for falsifying wildlife records, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, according. The two suspects were arrested and charged accordingly: Ive said it before, drug dealers have no regard for the law and they have no regard for the life of others, said Sheriff Prendergast. The murder occurred several hours prior to the discovery of Thomas' body. Six other individuals were detained by deputies in reference to the criminal activity taking place on the property. During the investigation, it was determined that individuals had traveled from all over the state with the intention of participating in the fighting of roosters. As deputies continued to check the home, they found the body of 77-year-old Lawrence Howard Worley, Sr. Officials said they are investigating his death as a murder. Any additional details regarding this incident will be released when possible. It will get you lost. The woman is considered a person of interest, according to the sheriff's office. Various narcotics, drug paraphernalia, eighteen firearms (including three stolen firearms), hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body-armor, four silencers, an explosive device, and roughly $5,600 in cash from illegal drug activity were seized and turned in as evidence this afternoon. Florida corrections officer was allowed to poison inmate, other officers implicated, lawsuit filed David Smith (DOB 3/30/1969), Hernando, FL- Failure to Pay Child Support. MARION COUNTY, Fla. - A Marion County man has been arrested in connection to the murder of a retired Florida deputy. Help us eradicate illegal drugs from the streets in our community. Victim Brenden, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries. More notably, he has trained over 50 personnel in establishing emergency communications through two-way radio, satellite, and cellular connections. Total bond set at none, due to domestic violence related crime. More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. In Citrus Hills you have a 1 in 83 chance of becoming a victim of crime. Bond set at $5,000. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 847.0135 (3)(a), Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device 934.215. SC07-1636 Appellee's Answer Brief, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Jessica_Lunsford&oldid=1139769932, February 2005 events in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 20:30. In recent years, DNA technology has resulted in the resolution of hundreds, if not thousands, of decades-old cold cases, and Florida is no different. Following agency policy, the deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the preliminary FDLE investigation. Instead of CCSO deputies discovering a possible party with loud music, they found plain evidence of this organized criminal activity, said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. Prior history of domestic violence. Eric Luckey (DOB 5/28/1984), Beverly Hills, FL- Violation of Probation original charge of Theft and Possession of Fentanyl. Although in comparison to the total county population the number of reported violent crime is less than 1% of the population, the numbers are still definitive. Since then, she has continued to further her education to enhance her skills in the intelligence analysis field to support CCSOs mission of Excellence in Public Safety. Detectives were able to identify him as a suspect, leading to a warrant being issued for his arrest. He has also received two Certificates of Commendation, a Division Letter of Commendation, and more than twenty Letters of Appreciation. Houston has no regard for the laws of society and chose to take the life of another man said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "While we believe this to be an isolated incident, there are many unknown details that we seek your assistance in obtaining in support of our investigation.". This conduct will not be tolerated in Citrus County, and the SVU detectives will work tirelessly to bring justice to these young victims.. The culprit? His crime spree continued into the following year he shot his father twice and went on the run for attempted murder, raping a woman named Janet Frakealong the way. Notably, 831 of those reports came from Citrus County. Oct 24, 2017 at 12:47 pm. Rolling aspired to be as infamous as Ted Bundy. Or download the Sheriffs App (search Citrus County Sheriffs Office) to use the Submit a tip feature to instantly make a report. Citrus County Sheriff's Office, FL. Prior history of domestic violence. Total bond set at none. Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, a home to a number of big cats. (Citrus County, FL) The Citrus County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) Training Section coordinated a training session with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to facilitate a 16-hour Single Officer Response to Active Threat and Shooter Incident training scenario in preparation for the upcoming school year. [7], On June 30, 2006, a judge ruled that Couey's confession was inadmissible in court because when it was recorded police had not granted Couey's requests for a lawyer, thereby rendering the confession invalid and unreliable under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments of the United States Constitution. (Citrus County, FL) Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) officials say a suspected bank robber is off the streets and there is no longer a threat to public safety. Total bond set at $1,178.00. Jamie Mullen (DOB 11/1/1976), Floral City, FL- Failure to Pay Child Support. Bond set at $5,000. Total bond set at none. Contact was made with Roberto Arevalo Miranda (11/19/1956) who lived on the property in a camper near the small A-frame-style structures. They also know just how easy it is to gain access to your children and exploit them through the internet. Couey held her captive over the weekend, during which she was raped and later murdered by being buried alive. . Tampa police will hold a community forum on Thursday, March 2, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center2200 N Oregon Ave, Tampa, FL, 33607from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to talk about violent crime and . Thanks to our deputies quick thinking and superior performance, they were able to protect our community from further harm.. Total bond set at none, due to domestic violence related crime. The young mom initially claimed that she had dropped her daughter off with a babysitter, and that when she came back later, both were gone. I cannot imagine the countless lives investigations such as this have saved. Her sensational trial featuring her defenses scorched-earth tactics against her family was watched by around 40 million viewers. The below arrests were made: FELIX ABDIEL PINTADO BERNARD, H/M, DOB-02/12/1985, (TOTAL BOND $11,000.00) charged with: ANGEL ALBERTO SEDA WAYS, H/M, DOB-03/02/1994, (TOTAL BOND $117,000.00) charged with: JENNIFFER MEDINA LOZADA, H/F, DOB-11/25/1989, (TOTAL BOND $12,000.00) charged with: If you have any information about the illegal sale of narcotics or any other crime in our community, we encourage you to contact us at 352-249-2790 or by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-888-ANY-TIPS to remain anonymous. 784.041(2)(A) and Felony Battery, prior conviction F.S.S. Your chance of being a victim of vandalism in Citrus County may be as high as 1 in 188 in the southwest neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 695 in the south part of the county. Through the investigation, TIU detectives, along with Detective Dan Slingerland of the Major Crimes Unit (MCU), were able to identify Gromling as the individual who provided Payne with the lethal dose of Fentanyl. Over a million dollars worth of cocaine has been taken off the streets as a result of this investigation. More famous Florida murders which have been solved include the 2008 murder of Caylee Anthony, Ted Bundys 1978 murders of Lisa Levy, Margaret Bowman, and Kimberly Leach, and the year-long murder spree of Aileen Wuornos. (Citrus County, FL) Citrus Abuse Shelter Association (CASA) issued a calling to the community to step-it-up for survivors of domestic violence during the month of October. Florida -- At approximately 9:18 p.m. on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) arrested 41-year-old Kenneth Slanker of Inverness, Florida. He has uncovered illicit gambling houses, prostitution rings, marijuana grow houses, cocaine stash houses, and methamphetamine labs. CCSOs Animal Control Officers seized over 60 roosters, along with other animals contained on the property that lacked proper care and were in distress. Special Victims Unit conducts specialized investigations into the sexual and physical abuse cases involving children. At around the same time, another male body turned. This training taught by FDLE officials is one of several courses that address the role of the SRD and is intended to prepare the SRD to respond immediately to an active shooter incident. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! She has been instrumental in expanding the program and working to continually educate and encourage the public on how Crime Stoppers works as a tool to combat crime in our community.. University of Florida students were turning up dead fatally stabbed to death, sometimes raped and mutilated. Thanks to the courts decision yesterday, Touchton will spend the rest of his life in prison and will never be able to abuse another child. Some of the most infamous Florida murders which can be found on these lists include the still unsolved 1966 triple homicide of Robert, Helen, and Joy Sims.