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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DeSantis suspends Osceola County Sheriff after he is arrested on racketeering charges
Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez (Photo from the Florida Sheriffs Association) Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez from office on Thursday shortly after he was arrested on felony charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's Office of Statewide Prosecution charged Lopez and four other individuals in a 'massive Central Florida gambling operation,' according to a press release issued by the attorney general's office. 'Initially engaging the operation for campaign contributions and personal payments, Sheriff Lopez played a multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal enterprise, using his office to shield the enterprise from law enforcement,' the release said. DeSantis has appointed Christopher Blackmon to take over the Osceola County Sheriff's Department. Blackmon has been serving as the Central Region Chief for the Florida Highway Patrol since November 2023 , and before that served as a troop commander and major in the FHP. Between 2007-2016 he worked as a resident security agent for Major League Baseball, according to his LinkedIn account. Lopez began serving in the Osceola County Sheriff's Department in 2003 while he was still serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He rose up the ranks before ultimately being elected sheriff in 2020, becoming the first Hispanic in Osceola County to do so. A Democrat, he was re-elected last fall. There had been scandals under Lopez's tenure, including a 2022 sheriff deputies' killing of a man who drove a car carrying two passengers accused of shoplifting $46 in pizza and Pokemon cards. A grand jury report later said the killing could have been avoided if not for their faulty judgement and their department's 'poorly crafted policies on the use of appropriate force in response to minor crimes,' the Orlando Sentinel reported. Lopez also ended up agreeing to pay a $250 fine last December in a plea deal with then-State Attorney Andrew Bain for inadvertently posting a photo on social media of a crime victim who was a minor. That later led Bain to add Lopez's name to his office's Brady Identification System, which lists the names of law enforcement officers who have a history of misconduct. The AG's press release says a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and joined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement began looking into Lopez and his associates starting in 2023. The investigation ultimately uncovered 'a criminal organization operating an illegal gambling enterprise throughout Central Florida, particularly in Lake and Osceola Counties.' Lopez and his associates ran a lottery, slot machines, and a 'gambling house out of a business known as Fusion Social Club,' according to the charging document filed in Florida's Fifth Judicial Circuit. The alleged criminal operation generated $21.6 million in profits, according to the AG's office. According to an official with the Lake County Jail, Lopez is being held without bond pending a June 30 arraignment. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Back the Blue? Lawmakers remain divided on bill regarding anonymous complaints about law enforcement
Police squad car lights. (Stock photo by) A proposal that would lift the anonymity of people filing complaints against a law enforcement officers advanced in a Florida House committee on Thursday, even though key players in Florida law enforcement are divided about whether the legislation is truly 'Backing the Blue.' The proposal sponsored by Miami-Dade Republican Tom Fabricio (HB 317) would require a person who initially files an anonymous complaint about a law or corrections officer in the state to have to give up his or her anonymity before any interrogation of that officer can commence. Both the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association oppose the bill. 'It will not increase accountability,' said Tampa International Airport Police Department Chief Charlie Vasquez, who is serving as president of the Florida Police Chiefs Association. 'It will make it more difficult to hold officers accountable when they have serious misconduct.' But other parts of the law enforcement community do support the measure, such as the Florida Fraternal Order of Police. A member of that organization, Miami Police officer Felix Del Rosario, said the proposal is about fairness, integrity, 'and the protection of those who dedicate their lives to public service.' Del Rosario added that, for too long, police officers in Florida have been subjected to 'prolonged and ambiguous investigations.' 'This legislation helps address those inequities,' he said, 'by ensuring that officers have timely access to their complete investigative file, providing safeguards against unfounded and malicious allegations that can have long lasting affects on an officers' reputation, career, and upholding the principals process and equal treatment under the law.' Orange County Democratic Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis noted how the Legislature last year effectively eliminated civilian review boards designed to oversee certain local law enforcement, which was supported by the sheriffs and police chiefs, so why wouldn't they support those agencies on this piece of legislation? 'I feel like I'm in an alternate universe right now because I hear from this chamber, from this committee, often times that we need to 'Back the Blue.' And the Blue just spoke. What I wrote down from the police chief is that this bill will make it more difficult to hold officers accountable when they participate in misconduct,' she said. And Bracy Davis, who is Black, said she was speaking as a representative of a minority-majority district with constituents who in some cases 'have apprehension when it comes to dealing with police officers.' 'So, not only do I 'Back the Blue', but I also back the Black, and I back the Brown.' Rep. Bruce Antone, who also is Black, said he opposed the bill which, ultimately would repeal anonymity for a complainant once law enforcement begins interrogating the accused officer. Antone listed three separate occasions when he was harassed by law enforcement. South Florida Democratic Rep. Mike Gottlieb said he disagreed with the notion that if he opposed the bill he somehow was not 'Backing the Blue.' 'We have many masters, and in a bill like this we have the administration, we have the rank and file, the law enforcement officers who are on the street fighting day and day out to protect the society, and we have the citizens, and each one of us represents approximately 175,000 individuals,' he said. 'And to come here and tell us that if we vote no on this product we don't 'Back the Blue?' That's just not true.' But Republicans on the committee said that while the administrators and lobbyists for Florida's top law enforcement agencies oppose the bill, actual cops on the street support it, and that should be good enough. 'All we're saying is, if you have a complaint against someone, just like if you're going to accuse someone in a court of law, put your face on it,' said Hillsborough County GOP Rep. Danny Alvarez, whose job outside of the Legislature is general counsel for the Tampa Police Benevolent Association. 'And if you can't put your face and name on it, then it's not worthy of going forward and smearing this person for the rest of their career.' Alvarez added that the bill was 'for the cop, not the sergeant, not the captain, and not the chief.' Last week, when the bill was heard in the House Government Operations Subcommittee, Jennifer 'Cookie' Pritt, executive director of Florida Police Chiefs Association, gave highly personal testimony regarding an incident involving a herself and a high-ranking command officer as a real life example of why she opposed the bill. She chose not to comment publicly on the measure on Thursday. Ultimately, the House Judiciary Committee voted 16-4 to advance the bill, and it now moves to the full House for consideration. But it may not end up becoming law this year, as its Senate companion (SB 516) has yet to be heard in any committee in that chamber. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Miami Herald
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
With feds out of Florida beds, sheriffs say they're ready to hold undocumented criminals
All of the state's 67 counties have entered agreements with federal immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrant criminals in jails, the Florida Sheriffs Association announced on Monday as the state rushes to assist President Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts. The agreements bring counties into compliance with part of a state law (SB 2-C) passed during a special legislative session this month aimed at boosting enforcement of illegal immigration. Under the agreements, sheriffs' deputies with special training can process immigration 'detainers' issued by federal authorities to keep inmates in jail. The inmates can be kept up to 48 hours before being picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The 'warrant service officer' program is a key part of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration and focuses on undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes or been ordered to be deported by judges, according to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. Gualtieri has worked closely with Trump administration officials as they make changes to what is known as the '287(g)' program that allows local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. 'Their priority is apprehending and deporting as quickly as possible those who are criminally illegal, public safety threats, national security threats, those who have been previously deported and come back again,' Gualtieri said Monday at a news conference in Winter Haven. 'The most pressing need they have is people who are booked into our jails … so these people are not released back into our community to commit more crimes.' Training for deputies to participate in the program, which Gualtieri said was halted throughout former President Joe Biden's tenure, is expected to ramp up quickly. READ MORE: Lawmakers just made Florida a harsher place for immigrants here illegally. This is how: 'Implementing the process under which all jails will be able to hold these criminals is well underway, and we hope to have it fully operational within the next 15 to 30 days,' Gualtieri said. 'This is a big deal because it means criminals like these, people who kill, people who steal, people who break into people's houses, people who rape kids, will be deported directly from jail and not released back to the street. … It just makes sense, from the jail out of here, as opposed to, [from] the jail back to the street.' As state and local efforts accelerate, sheriffs warned that the Trump administration needs to quickly increase the number of beds available for undocumented immigrants waiting to be processed and deported. Federal immigration authorities have about 2,000 beds in Florida 'and they're full,' Gualtieri said. The Pinellas County sheriff said he is holding 150 undocumented immigrants on detainers at his jail, which has 3,000 inmates. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said bed capacity is the 'number one' issue for federal immigration authorities. Florida sheriffs are conducting an inventory of available beds, but the anticipated ramp-up of county enforcement efforts could 'overwhelm the current ability to house people in days,' according to Judd. FLORIDA POLITICS: One group is being spared from Florida's immigration crackdown: companies 'There's not capacity in the Florida sheriffs or the county jails to make any negligible difference,' Judd said. 'We will overwhelm this system very rapidly and we intend to work very aggressively but that's why we're here making this statement today. They have to create capacity.' Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, who serves as president of the sheriffs association, said sheriffs are getting educated about 'very, very complex' immigration laws as the federal government revamps enforcement programs. 'It's all very fluid,' Prummell said. 'We're all trying to catch on and learn how this works. … There's a lot of chaos up there in D.C. still, so sometimes the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing up there. So we're trying to get a whole handle on what's going on up there so we can start implementing policies, procedures and what we need to do to get the job done, to keep our citizens safe here.' The new Florida immigration law also created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, which is made up of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Attorney General James Uthmeier and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Decisions made by the board must be unanimous. The board met for the first time last week and named as its executive director Larry Keefe, a former North Florida federal prosecutor who served as DeSantis' 'public safety czar.' Lawmakers during the special session also approved a measure (SB 4-C) that makes it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to enter or attempt to enter Florida. People who violate the law face a mandatory nine-month jail sentence. Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, told reporters Monday that the law is 'overly broad and vague' and will 'lead to rampant racial profiling' of people who are perceived to be immigrants. 'This law and the rhetoric surrounding it create an environment that will inevitably lead to racial and ethnic profiling of anyone perceived to be an immigrant based on the color of their skin, the accent in their voice, the neighborhoods they live in, or the restaurants and businesses they frequent,' Gross said. But the sheriffs pushed back when asked if the new laws would result in racial profiling. 'We're tired of hearing that crap. That's BS,' Judd said. Local and federal officials are targeting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes or those who have been ordered to leave the country, he argued. 'Take a deep breath. Save that crazy talk for somebody else. … We've got a plate full of illegal immigrants committing crimes and warrants to deport those that have flaunted the system, and all this crazy talk just scares people that don't need to be scared. Just follow what the federal government tells you to do when they tell you to do it,' Judd said.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida sheriffs gear up to aid immigration enforcement under new state law
The Brief Florida's 67 counties have agreed to detain undocumented immigrants with criminal records under a new state law supporting federal deportation efforts. Sheriffs warn detention facilities may quickly become overwhelmed, while critics fear racial profiling. Officials expect the program to be fully operational within 15 to 30 days. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Sheriffs Association announced on Monday that agencies in all of Florida's counties will assist federal immigration authorities in detaining undocumented immigrant criminals in jails. What we know All 67 Florida counties have signed agreements with federal immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrants with criminal records. This move aligns with state law SB 2-C, passed during a special legislative session to bolster enforcement of illegal immigration. Under the agreements, specially trained sheriff's deputies can process federal immigration detainers, holding inmates for up to 48 hours before U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) takes custody. Officials expect the program to be fully operational within 15 to 30 days. What we don't know It remains unclear how Florida and federal agencies will address the shortage of detention beds. Sheriffs have warned that the increased enforcement could overwhelm the system within days. Additionally, concerns persist about how these laws will be enforced without racial profiling, though law enforcement officials deny this will be an issue. The long-term effectiveness and logistical challenges of these policies remain uncertain. The backstory Florida's collaboration with ICE is part of a broader immigration crackdown tied to the Trump administration's 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to assist in deportation efforts. Training for these programs was reportedly halted under President Joe Biden but is now resuming under new state laws. The newly created State Board of Immigration Enforcement, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, oversees the implementation of these policies, and lawmakers have also passed legislation making it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to enter Florida. Big picture view Florida's aggressive immigration policies reflect a larger national debate over enforcement and state involvement in federal immigration efforts. While supporters argue the measures will improve public safety by deporting criminals, opponents warn of potential civil rights violations and racial profiling. The issue also raises logistical concerns, as existing detention facilities may not have the capacity to handle the anticipated influx of detainees. What they're saying Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri has worked closely with Trump administration officials as they make changes to what is known as the "287(g)" program that allows local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. "Their priority is apprehending and deporting as quickly as possible those who are criminally illegal, public safety threats, national security threats, those who have been previously deported and come back again," Gualtieri said Training for deputies to participate in the program, which Gualtieri said was halted throughout former President Joe Biden's tenure, is expected to ramp up quickly. "Implementing the process under which all jails will be able to hold these criminals is well underway, and we hope to have it fully operational within the next 15 to 30 days," Gualtieri said. "This is a big deal because it means criminals like these, people who kill, people who steal, people who break into people's houses, people who rape kids, will be deported directly from jail and not released back to the street. … It just makes sense, from the jail out of here, as opposed to, (from) the jail back to the street." Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said bed capacity is the "number one" issue for federal immigration authorities. Florida sheriffs are conducting an inventory of available beds, but the anticipated ramp-up of county enforcement efforts could "overwhelm the current ability to house people in days," according to Judd. "There's not capacity in the Florida sheriffs or the county jails to make any negligible difference," Judd said. "We will overwhelm this system very rapidly and we intend to work very aggressively but that's why we're here making this statement today. They have to create capacity." Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, who serves as president of the sheriffs association, said sheriffs are getting educated about "very, very complex" immigration laws as the federal government revamps enforcement programs. "It's all very fluid," Prummell said. "We're all trying to catch on and learn how this works. … There's a lot of chaos up there in D.C. still, so sometimes the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing up there. So we're trying to get a whole handle on what's going on up there so we can start implementing policies, procedures and what we need to do to get the job done, to keep our citizens safe here." Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, told reporters Monday that the law is "overly broad and vague" and will "lead to rampant racial profiling" of people who are perceived to be immigrants. "This law and the rhetoric surrounding it create an environment that will inevitably lead to racial and ethnic profiling of anyone perceived to be an immigrant based on the color of their skin, the accent in their voice, the neighborhoods they live in, or the restaurants and businesses they frequent," Gross said. But the sheriffs pushed back when asked if the new laws would result in racial profiling. "We're tired of hearing that crap. That's BS," Judd said. "Take a deep breath. Save that crazy talk for somebody else. … We've got a plate full of illegal immigrants committing crimes and warrants to deport those that have flaunted the system, and all this crazy talk just scares people that don't need to be scared. Just follow what the federal government tells you to do when they tell you to do it," Judd said. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by The News Service of Florida.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida sheriffs pledge assistance to federal immigration agencies
WINTER HAVEN — Sheriffs across Florida are ready to help carry out the Trump Administration's aggressive push for deportations of undocumented immigrants. That was the message of a news conference Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd hosted Monday morning, joined by about 20 other sheriffs from counties ranging from Jackson in the Panhandle to Lee in Southwest Florida. While there can be discussions on how to treat undocumented immigrations who work and do not commit crimes, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said there should be no debate about trying to remove those who are 'victimizing our citizens.' 'And these people need to go, and they need to go today,' Gualtieri said. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, declared that jails in all 67 counties — all but 10 operated by sheriff's offices — have signed agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist in deportation efforts. Gualtieri, chair of the FSA's legislative committee, repeatedly lambasted former President Joe Biden for actions that he said weakened the ability of local law enforcement to assist ICE and other federal entities enforcing immigration laws. President Donald Trump, who made illegal immigration a centerpiece of his successful campaign last year, has pledged to deport millions of people living in the United States without legal status. That group totals about 11 million, or 3.3% of the total population, according to estimates by immigration advocates. At the urging of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature in a special session this month adopted a measure aimed at supporting Trump's immigration policies. The legislation, quickly signed into law by DeSantis, created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, increased penalties for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes and gave law-enforcement agencies more than $200 million in immigration-related grants, among other provisions. Judd and Gualtieri are among four sheriffs appointed to the State Immigration Enforcement Council, an advisory council for the Board of Immigration Enforcement. The new law mandates participation by all local law-enforcement agencies in the federal 287(g) program, a means for holding suspects in jails until ICE agents can seize them. 'President Trump says it's a new day,' Judd said. 'Gov. DeSantis says it's a new day. Gov. DeSantis and our (Senate) President, Ben Albritton, and our (House) Speaker, Danny Perez, say we're going to not only lead the state in keeping the people of the state of Florida safe, but we're going to lead the nation and show them how.' The federal program will provide training for local law-enforcement officials in three areas, Prummell said. Under the Warrant Service Officer program, deputies and officers can serve deportation warrants. Another program trains local deputies and correctional officers to conduct probable-cause arrests related to deportation procedures, Prummell said. Finally, local agencies will contribute to street task forces headed by federal agencies. The Biden Administration halted local training for the first two programs, Prummell said. The Trump Administration reinstated the training and is also streamlining it to be less time-intensive, he said. President Barack Obama ended the street task force program in 2012, Prummell said. Obama took that action after a Department of Justice investigation found cases of racial profiling and other abuses, which cost tens of millions of dollars in legal settlements, according to news reports. Gualtieri forcefully dismissed any suggestion that law enforcement in Florida might act based on suspects' racial or ethnic status, referring to 'the noise' that arose in 2012. 'We don't racial profile,' Gualtieri said. 'Cops are going to do the right thing.' He added: 'If somebody has an allegation that one of us, one of our people, is doing something improper, bring it to us. We're going to investigate it thoroughly. And if somebody needs to be held accountable for doing something wrong, we're going to hold them accountable.' Not merely a federal problem, illegal immigration affects every state, city and town in the United States, Gualtieri said. He and the other sheriffs emphasized the danger of crimes committed by people who cross the border without permission. The Pinellas Sheriff's Office displayed posters at the news conference bearing photos of six men in the country illegally who were accused of serious crimes after previous convictions. The new charges included molestation and sexual battery of a child under 12 years old, DUI manslaughter and possession of child pornography. Gualtieri also highlighted the case of an undocumented worker charged with fatally striking Pinellas Sheriff's Deputy Michael Hartwick with a construction truck along Interstate 275 in 2022. Juan Molina-Salles pleaded guilty last week to leaving the scene of a crash involving death. Molina-Salles, a Honduras native, had twice been deported before returning to the United States at Eagle Pass, Texas, Gualtieri said. While studies have shown that immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans, Gualtieri pointed attention to the 1.4 million people with active, final deportation orders. 'From everything we have heard, seen and been a part of with the federal government, their priority is apprehending and reporting as quickly as possible those who are criminal illegals, public safety threats, national security threats, those who have been previously deported and come back again, like Deputy Hartwick's killer, and those who are ignoring a judge's order to leave after they had their day in court,' Gualtieri said. Local agencies are offering their help because ICE does not have sufficient resources to find the 1.4 million targeted for deportation, Gualtieri said. Federal agencies have issued 700,000 warrants for deportation since Trump took office on Jan. 20, Judd said. But Florida's jails do not have the capacity to hold many of those people, Judd said. 'We're working with ICE, but the president needs to get that big, black pen out and get to signing EOs (executive orders),' Judd said. 'We've got to have capacity, and it's got to come from the federal government.' Asked how the street task forces involving local deputies might operate, Prummell said those details are still being determined. The program gives local officers some of the powers of ICE agents when they encounter people issued detainers while 'out there on the street as we're doing our normal duties,' Prummell said. Following Trump's inauguration and the actions of Florida officials, fears have spread among undocumented residents and advocates of such actions as traffic stops targeting people suspected of being in the country without authorization. Gualtieri said that 'cops help cops,' and local deputies will assist federal Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations on operations if asked. During the news conference, Judd reached inside the lectern to brandish props he wielded at a media event in August — a pair of white running shoes. At the August conference, where he was joined by DeSantis, Judd used the shoes to illustrate people crossing the border in 'cross trainers.' At Monday's gathering, Judd moved the shoes — now autographed by the governor — in a backward motion to illustrate his suggestion of 'self-deportation.' Judd also reprised use of a sign reading 'Southbound & Down.' Judd was asked if the exhortation to leave the country applies only to undocumented immigrations who have committed crimes. 'The priority, as clearly pointed out, is the criminal illegal alien that's here committing crimes,' Judd said. 'That's the number one priority. The second priority is certainly those that have deportation orders — and that will fill up the capacity. But if you're here illegally, and you're worried, and it's easier to go home than it is to worry every day. You're welcome to leave the country on your own volition.' The Trump Administration last month issued an order reversing a policy enacted under Obama that prevent the two main federal immigration agencies from carrying out enforcement actions in such places as schools, churches and hospitals. Gualtieri dismissed as 'hyperbole' and 'nonsense' the idea that immigration raids will take place in those facilities. But he said that authorities need permission to enter such places when necessary. He gave the example of a 17-year-old 'Venezuelan gang member' sitting in a classroom. Gary White can be reached at or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Florida sheriffs: Ready to partner with federal immigration agencies
