Latest news with #IslandBoys'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
Grady Judd: Father, 2 teens charged in killing of Frostproof man suspected of selling marijuana on an app
The Brief The father of one of two teens accused of killing a man they ordered marijuana from on an app has also been arrested. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said two teens bought marijuana off an app and when a 22-year-old Frostproof man drove up to them, they shot him. Judd said he is going to ask the State Attorney's Office to charge the 15-year-old boy and 16-year-old boy as adults. FROSTPROOF, Fla. - The father of one of two teenagers accused of gunning down a Frostproof man they allegedly ordered marijuana from on an app has also been arrested. The backstory According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Charles Andrew Jackson III, 16, went on an app and ordered $400 of marijuana from 22-year-old Juan German-Garo, Jr. on Sunday. The sheriff said German-Garo, Jr. drove from Eagle Lake to a Frostproof neighborhood with the marijuana and when he got to the address Jackson III provided, the teen, along with Tyjhae Allen, 15, went up to the man's car and spoke with him for two-three minutes. Then, Judd said Jackson III pulled an AK-47 out of Allen's backpack and shot German-Garo, Jr. three times. READ:Grady Judd, Florida sheriffs crack down on illegal immigration: 'The game has changed' "He is obviously mortally wounded," Judd stated. "His foot moves off the gas pedal and the car rolls forward about a block down the street over the edge of the street where it stops." Judd said someone called 911 and the teens ran away. "They clearly conspired and worked together to rob this guy because they didn't have $400 to buy marijuana," Judd said. "They intended all along to rob him when he got there and that's exactly what they did." However, the sheriff added that Allen's backpack was left in the middle of the street, so he turned around, grabbed it and ran home. Witnesses gave a description of two suspects to detectives, who canvassed the area and located Allen. According to Judd, Jackson III called his father to pick him up. READ: 'Island Boys' rapper Franky Venegas arrested on gun, drug charges in Florida: Report The next day, Judd said investigators went to Jackson III's home and asked his father, Charles Andrew Jackson Jr., if he knew where his son was located. Jackson Jr. told deputies he didn't know. "While we're there talking to him, he starts texting and erasing texts," Judd explained. "He is texting his son and told him, 'Run! The cops are after you!" That's when deputies arrested Jackson Jr. for tampering with evidence and accessory to first-degree murder. His criminal history includes 25 previous felonies and 14 previous misdemeanors, and he has been to state prison two times based on convictions for battery on the elderly, simple battery, fleeing to elude law enforcement, and grand theft. "This guy's a bad dude and his son is a murderer," Judd stated. READ:Parents of 4-year-old boy who accidentally shot, killed himself will not be charged: Davenport police The sheriff added that Jackson III went to school the day after the murder. "Monday morning, he showed up for school at Lake Wales High School like nothing had happened, and he just murdered a guy by shooting him three times with this Draco." Jackson III turned himself in to authorities on Monday afternoon. What you can do Judd added that investigators have not recovered the gun. Anyone with information about the location of the firearm is asked to call Heartland Crime Stoppers 1-888-400-TIPS (8477). There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the location of this weapon, and callers remain completely anonymous. What's next Allen is charged with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, tampering with evidence, and giving false information to a law enforcement officer. He was arrested for criminal mischief to a vehicle in 2021. Jackson III is charged with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, and tampering with evidence. He was arrested in 2022 for juvenile in possession of a weapon. Judd added that he plans to ask the State Attorney's Office to try both teens as adults. The teens are facing first-degree murder charges and could spend the rest of their lives in prison. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source This story was written with information provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Grady Judd. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
St. Pete lawmaker proposes bill to dive into wastewater, sewage spill concerns
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The devastating impacts of storm surge and flood waters are a harsh reality many Floridians know all too well. A new piece of legislation is aiming to address sewage and wastewater needs statewide. 'Island Boys' rapper Franky Venegas arrested in Florida on gun, drug charges The legislative session is just around the corner and the anticipation is building as a wave of bills begin to surge through the process. One particular bill is diving into wastewater concerns both in Tampa Bay and beyond. In an effort to address sewage spills and upgrade wastewater infrastructure, one Tampa Bay state lawmaker is pushing for action. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'We hear too frequently about sewage spills that are happening in our treasured water bodies, and many of these facilities were built decades ago,' said State Rep. Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg. Pipes crack, infrastructure breaks, and pollution makes its way into our waters repeatedly. Cross wants to help streamline a path forward and hold the state accountable.'This is just a targeted way for us to understand where we should be investing as a state to help our local communities and really getting a holistic view of the state of our infrastructure, understanding how these septic spills and failing infrastructure, how it contributes to dirty water and impacts to our natural environment as well as our tourism,' Cross said. House Bill 861 would have the Florida State Department of Environmental Protection create a list of wastewater facilities detailing their proximity to flood zones and past spills. Officials said that list would let the state enhance and improve each wastewater plant as needed. 'The bottom line is the more effective our wastewater treatment plants are, the less pollution we get in our waterways,' J.P. Brooker said. 'That curbs things like harmful algal blooms, such as red tide, some of the fish kills we've been seeing, and the loss of other wildlife in critical places like Tampa Bay.' Advocating for the policy change is J.P. Brooker, Director of Florida Conservation, Ocean Conservancy. He said policy interventions like this will do a lot in the future.'Here on the bay, we look at Tampa Bay, we look at the Gulf all the time, and we want to see that beautiful water,' Brooker said. 'When it's tainted with red tide, with fish kills like we've seen in recent years that really effects our way of life, and it really affects our bottom line of our economy in the Tampa Bay regions. So, keeping that water healthy and clean is of paramount importance to us.'The bill was refiled this year after being introduced during last year's legislative session. Cross said she hopes she can empower the legislature to improve the resources we have here in the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
‘Island Boys' rapper Franky Venegas arrested in Florida on gun, drug charges
NAPLES, Fla. (WFLA) — A member of the 'Island Boys' rap group was arrested in Naples Sunday after deputies said they caught him with a bag of unprescribed oxycodone pills and an altered firearm. Franky Venegas, 23, was booked into a Collier County jail Sunday on one count of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and one count of possession of an altered firearm, according to public records. Missing man found dismembered in backyard, Hillsborough deputies say An arrest report obtained by NBC affiliate WESH stated that Venegas was the passenger in a corvette that deputies pulled over after observing the driver fail to come to a complete stop on Oil Well Road. A K9 unit was called to the scene, and Venegas and the driver were asked to step out of the corvette while law enforcement searched the vehicle. Deputies said they found a plastic bag lying on the passenger side floorboard. Inside was several white pills. There were seven total 10 mg oxycodone pills and five pills containing oxycodone and Acetaminophen, according to officials. When questioned, Venegas told deputies the pills were not his and he did not know how they got there. Deputies continued searching the corvette and came across a brown handbag on the passenger side floorboard. Authorities said there was a pistol inside the bag, along with a clear plastic cut straw that had a white powdery substance on it. According to the arrest report, the pistol had been spray-painted blue and when investigators took the weapon apart, they discovered that both serial numbers were missing. Venegas was arrested and taken to the Naples Jail Center, WESH reported. He and his twin brother, Alex, rose to fame as the 'Island Boys' following their 2021 viral hit, 'I'm an Island Boy,' which has over 24 million views on YouTube. Public records show that Venegas has a history of arrests in South Florida. He most recently got into trouble in May 2024 when he was accused of pretending to be his brother and was arrested in Fort Lauderdale for reckless driving. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
