Latest news with #OCSO
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
A Florida sheriff is arrested in a racketeering investigation. Who is Marcos Lopez?
Florida sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested June 5 and charged with racketeering in connection with an alleged massive gambling operation and public corruption scheme that generated more than $21 million in profits, according to a release from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office. The Osceola County sheriff was charged with one count of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, both second-degree felonies. Gov. Ron DeSantis followed the arrest with an executive order suspending Lopez and replacing him with Christopher Blackmon, the central region chief for the Florida Highway Patrol. Marcos Radame Lopez, 56, was born in Chicago and grew up in central Florida, according to his now-removed biography on the Osceola County Sheriff's Office website. Lopez enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17, his bio said. He served for 22 years on active duty and the reserves, working as a linguist and training in explosive ordinances, counterterrorism, and supervising logistical operations. He supported operation Iraqi freedom, Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom as a law enforcement specialist attached to the Centcom Logistical Support Group Forward, he told He received a degree in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement in 2003 from Valencia College, according to his LinkedIn account, and joined the sheriff's office the same year. For more than 16 years, Lopez also served as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor while working as an investigator. Since 2019, he has also operated Lo-Jeng Tech, a security consultant business that trains small businesses, churches and nonprofits on how to handle active shooters, cybersecurity and other security matters. After failing to win election in 2016, Lopez was first elected as sheriff in 2020, defeating Luiz "Tony" Fernandez to became the first Hispanic sheriff in the Osceola County and Florida. Lopez was re-elected in 2024, defending his position from Republican challenger Donnie Martinez. During his terms, Lopez started the Real Time Crime Center and added specialty units to the OCSO, including the Tactical Anti-Crime Unit, Osceola County Narcotics Bureau, and a fugitive extradition program with Puerto Rico, according to his bio. He also launched anti-bullying initiatives and the all-female police academy Woman on Watch. Why was a Florida sheriff arrested? What we know about Marcos Lopez, alleged gambling scheme Lopez and the OCSO have been in the spotlight several times in recent years. In December 2024, Lopez pleaded no contest to a civil infraction and agreed to pay a $250 fine for posting a photo of a dead body on his personal Instagram page, FOX 35 Orlando and WFTV reported. The image was of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, who disappeared in February 2024 from her home in Kissimmee. Her body was found days later, and the boyfriend of the girl's mother was charged with her death. After Lopez claimed, on the air, in an interview on a radio station that he didn't post the picture — even though the OCSO had already apologized for it — he was placed on the Brady List, a state list of the local law enforcement officers who may not be suitable as witnesses in criminal cases due to past actions, WFTV reported. As of June 6, Lopez is still listed on the Brady List as having made false statements. Lopez, a Democrat, has claimed the move was politically based. In June 2024, Lopez was accused of making lewd comments about a nude photo of a young female civilian employee in 2022, according to WFTV. Former deputy Samantha Sanchez found the picture on the phone of her then-boyfriend, former deputy Alex Valentin, along with text messages reportedly of Valentin and Lopez exchanging such photos and commenting on them. Sanchez said she took a screenshot of the alleged conversation and later reported it to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement when she was fired in what she said was retaliatory action after she told a female deputy about the conversation. Lopez has denied the accusations and the FDLE declined to investigate after the civilian employee failed to press charges, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Lopez and the OCSO were sued in January on behalf of a motorcyclist who was burned on more than 75% of his body after Osceola County deputies fired a Taser at him while he was filling up his motorcycle, WFTV reported. Lopez and the sheriff's office also came under scrutiny in 2022 after a 20-year-old was shot and killed by deputies, according to local television station WESH. Authorities said the 20-year-old and the group he was with were accused of stealing pizza and Pokémon cards from a Target store in Kissimmee, WESH reported. A grand jury declined to file charges in the case, according to WESH, but criticized the sheriff's office for its handling of the incident. The grand jury recommended policy and procedure changes for shootings involving law enforcement, WESH reported. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida sheriiff charged with racketeering. Who is Marcos Lopez?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
A Florida sheriff is arrested in a racketeering investigation. Who is Marcos Lopez?
Florida sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested June 5 and charged with racketeering in connection with an alleged massive gambling operation and public corruption scheme that generated more than $21 million in profits, according to a release from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office. The Osceola County sheriff was charged with one count of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, both second-degree felonies. Gov. Ron DeSantis followed the arrest with an executive order suspending Lopez and replacing him with Christopher Blackmon, the central region chief for the Florida Highway Patrol. Marcos Radame Lopez, 56, was born in Chicago and grew up in central Florida, according to his now-removed biography on the Osceola County Sheriff's Office website. Lopez enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17, his bio said. He served for 22 years on active duty and the reserves, working as a linguist and training in explosive ordinances, counterterrorism, and supervising logistical operations. He supported operation Iraqi freedom, Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom as a law enforcement specialist attached to the Centcom Logistical Support Group Forward, he told He received a degree in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement in 2003 from Valencia College, according to his LinkedIn account, and joined the sheriff's office the same year. For more than 16 years, Lopez also served as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor while working as an investigator. Since 2019, he has also operated Lo-Jeng Tech, a security consultant business that trains small businesses, churches and nonprofits on how to handle active shooters, cybersecurity and other security matters. After failing to win election in 2016, Lopez was first elected as sheriff in 2020, defeating Luiz "Tony" Fernandez to became the first Hispanic sheriff in the Osceola County and Florida. Lopez was re-elected in 2024, defending his position from Republican challenger Donnie Martinez. During his terms, Lopez started the Real Time Crime Center and added specialty units to the OCSO, including the Tactical Anti-Crime Unit, Osceola County Narcotics Bureau, and a fugitive extradition program with Puerto Rico, according to his bio. He also launched anti-bullying initiatives and the all-female police academy Woman on Watch. Why was a Florida sheriff arrested? What we know about Marcos Lopez, alleged gambling scheme Lopez and the OCSO have been in the spotlight several times in recent years. In December 2024, Lopez pleaded no contest to a civil infraction and agreed to pay a $250 fine for posting a photo of a dead body on his personal Instagram page, FOX 35 Orlando and WFTV reported. The image was of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, who disappeared in February 2024 from her home in Kissimmee. Her body was found days later, and the boyfriend of the girl's mother was charged with her death. After Lopez claimed, on the air, in an interview on a radio station that he didn't post the picture — even though the OCSO had already apologized for it — he was placed on the Brady List, a state list of the local law enforcement officers who may not be suitable as witnesses in criminal cases due to past actions, WFTV reported. As of June 6, Lopez is still listed on the Brady List as having made false statements. Lopez, a Democrat, has claimed the move was politically based. In June 2024, Lopez was accused of making lewd comments about a nude photo of a young female civilian employee in 2022, according to WFTV. Former deputy Samantha Sanchez found the picture on the phone of her then-boyfriend, former deputy Alex Valentin, along with text messages reportedly of Valentin and Lopez exchanging such photos and commenting on them. Sanchez said she took a screenshot of the alleged conversation and later reported it to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement when she was fired in what she said was retaliatory action after she told a female deputy about the conversation. Lopez has denied the accusations and the FDLE declined to investigate after the civilian employee failed to press charges, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Lopez and the OCSO were sued in January on behalf of a motorcyclist who was burned on more than 75% of his body after Osceola County deputies fired a Taser at him while he was filling up his motorcycle, WFTV reported. Lopez and the sheriff's office also came under scrutiny in 2022 after a 20-year-old was shot and killed by deputies, according to local television station WESH. Authorities said the 20-year-old and the group he was with were accused of stealing pizza and Pokémon cards from a Target store in Kissimmee, WESH reported. A grand jury declined to file charges in the case, according to WESH, but criticized the sheriff's office for its handling of the incident. The grand jury recommended policy and procedure changes for shootings involving law enforcement, WESH reported. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida sheriiff charged with racketeering. Who is Marcos Lopez?
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Olmsted County deputies arrest man after attempts to flee on unlicensed motorcycle
Jun. 2—ROCHESTER — Olmsted County deputies took a Rochester man into custody after he attempted to flee from law enforcement while operating a motorcycle without a license. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office initiated a pursuit around 12:15 p.m. on May 30 after deputies observed a man driving a motorcycle without a license on Highway 63 South at East Frontage Road, according to a release from OCSO. The man fled southbound, left the roadway and drove across a cornfield before dumping the motorcycle in a marshy area and fleeing on foot. An OCSO K9 was used for tracking purposes, and the man was located hiding in a marshy area near FedEx and the Rochester International Airport, the release said. The man was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. The case was referred to the Olmsted County Attorney's Office for fleeing in a motor vehicle and possessing stolen property.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Couple visiting Florida drowns near Destin resort; son rescued by beachgoer
DESTIN, Fla. – A couple drowned in the Gulf of America while visiting a Florida resort, despite the heroic efforts of a bystander who rescued their son. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) identified the victims on Wednesday as a 57-year-old husband and 54-year-old wife, both residents of Buford, Georgia. Their names have not been released. According to witnesses, deputies said the couple and their 26-year-old son were seen struggling approximately 75 to 100 yards offshore of U.S. Highway 98 in Destin. Florida Rip Current Nearly Drowns 3 Kids During T-ball Team's Beach Day: 'Help Me! Help Me!' A quick-thinking bystander, utilizing a borrowed boogie board, entered the water in an attempt to rescue the family, authorities said. His decisive actions are credited with saving the life of the couple's son, as he successfully brought the young man to shore. "Beach safety personnel pulled the mother out of the water while Destin Beach Safety and an OCSO Marine Unit located the father," deputies said. "Intense and extensive lifesaving measures were performed on both but were unsuccessful." Deputies said yellow flags were flying on the beach at the time of the incident, indicating moderate surf and/or currents. How To Survive Rip Currents At least seven lives have been lost in Florida alone this year due to rip currents, high surf or sneaker waves. Nationally, the number of surf zone deaths has reached 26 so far in 2025, according to data from the National Weather Service. Rip currents are the number one weather-related killer in Florida. In 2023, more than 30 people were reported to have died after encountering rip currents along the Sunshine State, with more than half in the Panhandle. These hidden threats form when waves break near the shoreline, causing water to pile up and create a narrow, fast-flowing stream that swiftly carries swimmers away from shore, catching them off guard. Florida's Biggest Weather-related Killer Lurks Along Beaches The National Weather Service always advises beachgoers to swim near lifeguards and remain alert to ocean conditions. If caught in a rip current, it is advised not to swim against the outgoing force of water. Instead, swim parallel to the shoreline until out of the current, then head safely back towards article source: Couple visiting Florida drowns near Destin resort; son rescued by beachgoer
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
2 drown in Destin, Florida: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
DESTIN, Fla. (WKRG) — The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office is investigating after a man and woman drowned Tuesday night in Destin. According to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office, a man and a woman were visiting Destin. Deputies responded Tuesday, May 27, to the beach near the 1000 block of US 98 where a woman was found unresponsive in the water. First responders performed CPR, but it was unsuccessful, the post said. President Donald Trump pardons the Chrisleys — what we know about Todd's release Deputies also learned a man, reportedly the woman's husband, was missing. The post said OCSO marine units located and recovered the man from the water, performed CPR and took him to the Coast Guard station, but the man did not survive. This is a developing story. News 5 will provide updates as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
