Latest news with #MikeChitwood
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
No-nonsense sheriff confronts man who threatened to kill him
A no-nonsense Florida sheriff confronted a man who has been charged with threatening to assassinate him and demanded to know why he wants him dead. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood went toe-to-toe with Matthew Moulton, 45, following his arrest in Washington state. Moulton sent Chitwood an unhinged email accusing him of proliferating ' AI child porn' after the sheriff threatened to publish delinquent children's mugshots, court documents state. He then allegedly told the law enforcement officer, 'I'm going to have to threaten you with death'. Police in Florida said they traced Moulton's email address and contacted the College Place Police Department in Washington. He was arrested on March 31 and extradited all the way to Volusia County, where he is being prosecuted for a felony charge of written threats to kill or do bodily injury. His extradition last has made waves after Chitwood decided to confront Moulton as he was escorted through Daytona Beach International Airport last week. 'Matthew, I'm Sheriff Chitwood. I'm the guy you want to kill, and there's nothing I can do about it. Challenge accepted,' Chitwood taunted. Moulton told the sheriff he'd merely sent him a Bible verse from Romans 5, but Chitwood was undeterred. 'You do know in Florida, a written threat to kill is a felony. You know that, right?' the sheriff asked. 'Just so you know, I'm the one who made sure you came back, and I hope you enjoy your stay at the branch jail.' In a raspy voice, Moulton said Chitwood 'violated his federal rights'. 'I will also tell you that you will not see Mickey Mouse on this trip, and you have to reimburse us for your flight here and for your stay at the at the county jail,' Chitwood said, talking over the suspect. Chitwood then asked him to 'look me in the eye and tell me why you want me dead.' Moulton did not directly answer, but began ranting about Christianity and telling the sheriff he wasn't a Christian. Chitwood argued back and insisted he is a Christian. 'OK, we're going to take you where you need to go. We will make sure the cell has rubber in it,' the sheriff said as Moulton was shown climbing into the back of a police car. Moulton first contacted Chitwood after the sheriff announced his new policy regarding children's mugshots, according to court documents. In the email authorities claim was authored by Moulton, he leveled wild accusations at Chitwood involving AI child porn. 'Do you know what the Internet does with the images of children you expose? They put them into AI and make child porn out of them. They post them on 4Chan,' the email said. During a September press conference, Chitwood raged at underage students who had either brought guns to schools or had made written threats. 'Since parents, you don't want to raise your kids, I'm gonna start raising them. Every time we make an arrest, your kid's photo is gonna be put out there. And if I could do it, I'm gonna perp walk your kid, so that everybody can see what your kid's up to,' he said. Chitwood made good on that promise right away, posting a video of his deputies perp walking an 11-year-old boy who allegedly had a kill list and threatened to shoot up two schools. The boy, Carlo 'Kingston' Dorelli, was also found to be in possession of a large cache of weapons, though they appeared to be fake. Police said they found airsoft rifles, fake ammunition, swords, knives and throwing stars in his bedroom. Tyler Meyer, 32, also threatened Chitwood. He would later plead no contest and was forced to reimburse the sheriff's department for the costs it incurred to extradite him from California to Florida Officials also allegedly found a paper in his room with several names that appeared to have stab marks next to them. 'He had written a list of names and targets,' Chitwood said at the time. 'He says it was all a joke.' Moulton is current in jail on a $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on June 19, 2025. His arrest report also mentions Moulton's account on GAB, which is marketed as a free-speech social media platform. His account contains several bizarre posts, including one where he is holding a black, patterned knife that has a cross dangling from the blade. Since his legal troubles began, Moulton also shared his GiveSendGo page that is supposed to raise money for his defense. The page, which he titled 'Our Rights Have Been Crucified', has pulled in just one donation of $25 from one of his friends on GAB. Moulton's goal is to raise $1 million. Chitwood, sheriff of Volusia County since 2017, is no stranger to death threats. Since 2023, he has been on the receiving end of threats from seven different men spread all over the country. At least three avid users of 4chan, a social media site known for hosting neo-Nazis, were charged in 2023 after threatening to kill him. Chitwood has long been an outspoken critic of hate groups, especially ones that espouse anti-semitism. The men who made threats were described as Nazi sympathizers by authorities. They include 40-year-old Richard Golden of New Jersey, 32-year-old Tyler Meyer of California, 25-year-old Cristhian Zapata, and Tony Stromberg of Canada. All three men pleaded no contest and were forced to pay several thousand dollars to reimburse the sheriff's department for the cost of their extradition. Golden also spent 366 days in prison after he was sentenced on December 1, 2023. Three other men have also made death threats against Chitwood since 2023, including one man from Alberta, Canada, who allegedly said he would kill the sheriff and his family members.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
WATCH: Florida sheriff confronts man who threatened to kill him
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida sheriffs don't take kindly to being threatened, even if its from thousands of miles away. Matthew Moulton, 45, of Washington, learned that lesson last week when Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood met him at the airport and gave him a private ride right to the county jail. In March, a detective with the Volusia Sheriff's Office discovered a rambling email sent by Moulton to Sheriff Chitwood, in which he details his grievances with the sheriff. According to the affidavit, he appears to take issue with a campaign Chitwood launched last year, where he posted the mugshots and 'perp walks' of students who made false school shooting threats. Florida sheriff fed up with school shooting hoaxes posts boy's mugshot to social media Moulton accuses Chitwood of targeting people's free speech and purposefully 'treating satire the same as sincerity.' Seemingly unable to find any other recourse for his concerns, Moulton then threatens the sheriff's life. 'I'm going to have to threaten you with death,' Moulton wrote in the email. 'It's coming. There's nothing you can do to stop it.' In Florida, any written threat to kill or cause bodily harm to someone is a felony. So, the detective contacted Moulton's local police department and requested that an officer go ask him some questions. According to the affidavit, Moulton admitted to the Washington officers that he did write the email, but claimed it was within his First Amendment rights to do so. A judge signed a warrant for his arrest, and Chitwood was there to do the honors when Moulton touched down. Moulton was charged with written or electronic threats to kill, a second-degree felony. His bond was set at $100,000. He's set to appear in court on June 19. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Border Patrol detains 5 at Welcome to Rockville festival; Volusia deputies make 13 arrests
The Brief Authorities reported 13 arrests and 5 immigration detentions during the Rockville music festival. Drug-related charges and counterfeit goods topped the list of offenses. No major thefts were reported this year, a shift from previous festivals. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Federal and local law enforcement made a series of arrests during the "Welcome to Rockville" music festival in Daytona Beach over the weekend, including the detention of five people by U.S. Border Patrol. What we know Multiple arrests were made by federal and local law enforcement officers during the "Welcome to Rockville" music festival held over the weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported 13 arrests, including three felony charges. U.S. Border Patrol detained five individuals based on their immigration status, most of whom were Guatemalan nationals. One of the more serious arrests involved a woman who was charged with possession with intent to sell after deputies recovered about a pound of psychedelic mushrooms. Authorities said the drugs were found after receiving a tip about a delivery to a festival bar. The enforcement effort was part of a planned response involving various agencies to manage the influx of tens of thousands of concertgoers. What we don't know Officials have not released details about the other two felony arrests or the names of the individuals detained by Border Patrol. It's also unclear whether those detained face deportation or further federal proceedings. Law enforcement did not comment on whether they expect additional arrests as investigations continue. The backstory "Welcome to Rockville" is a major annual music festival that attracts fans from across the country. In past years, the event has seen high volumes of thefts, particularly of cell phones and wallets. Ahead of this year's festival, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood pledged increased enforcement, including collaboration with federal agents, to address ongoing concerns about safety and crime. Big picture view The collaboration between local deputies and federal agents represents a growing trend of combining immigration enforcement with public safety operations at major events. While the number of immigration-related detentions decreased slightly compared to last year (five this year versus seven in 2024), the presence of U.S. Border Patrol drew attention among attendees and immigrant advocacy groups. Deputies noted a reduction in property crimes this year, citing improved preventive measures and greater officer visibility throughout the venue. What they're saying The heightened enforcement was in line with promises made by Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood ahead of the event. Authorities added that the festival was "largely successful from a public safety standpoint," noting the absence of major thefts and a manageable number of arrests. 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 Volusia County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood joins high-speed pursuit of suspect fleeing traffic stop
The Brief A suspect fled a traffic stop in New Smyrna Beach, leading to a high-speed chase on I-95. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who happened to be nearby, joined the pursuit. The suspect, with a lengthy criminal record, was eventually captured and faces more charges. NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - A suspect fleeing from a traffic stop in New Smyrna Beach unknowingly led law enforcement on a high-speed chase — tailed by none other than Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, himself. What we know A suspect fled from a traffic stop in New Smyrna Beach, leading to a high-speed chase on I-95 south toward Brevard County. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who was nearby, joined the pursuit. The suspect, with a lengthy criminal record, was eventually caught and faces new charges. What we don't know Details about what triggered the initial traffic stop, the suspect's identity, and the specific new charges have not been disclosed. Timeline The chase began yesterday during a routine traffic stop, escalated when the suspect sped onto the interstate, and ended with his capture after Sheriff Chitwood joined the pursuit. What they're saying A suspect fleeing from a traffic stop in New Smyrna Beach unknowingly led law enforcement on a high-speed chase—tailed by none other than Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood himself. Deputies say the pursuit began when the driver sped away from a stop and headed south on I-95 toward Brevard County. Sheriff Chitwood, who happened to be nearby, joined the chase. "I had just filled up my gas tank, so I told him, 'We can go to Miami if you want,'" Chitwood said. "Eventually, we're going to get you." The suspect, who authorities say has a long criminal history, was eventually captured and now faces additional charges. 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 Volusia County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Florida sheriff says it's time to start cracking down on juvenile offenders
(NewsNation) — Volusia County, Florida Sheriff Mike Chitwood joins 'On Balance' to talk about what to talk about what he says is a growing number of juvenile violence incidents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
