Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office

Paul Pope, Embattled National Enquirer Heir, Arrested for Stalking

F. Scott Fitzgerald certainly laid it out best about the rich: they are different from you and me. The Palm Beach society battle between the heirs of the National Enquirerfortune has shifted into high-gear again. As well told you earlier this month, Paul Pope and his mother Lois have been playing ... More >>

Palm Beach Cops Being Investigated for Possible Steroids Charges, According to Report

Some deputies at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office might be going the A-Rod route (allegedly!) and getting jacked up with illegal steroids, according to a Gossip Extra report. The report says that the FBI and the DEA are conducting a major investigation into the possible juicing of some of Pal ... More >>

Dilbert Coreas, Alleged MS-13 Gangbanger, Worked Kids' Parties, Gave Pony Rides and Operated Bounce Houses

If you ordered up a bounce house for Junior's birthday or celebrated a quince with a pony ride in South Florida over the past few months, you might want to listen up. According to police, a suspected gangbanger with some nasty associations may have been splitting his time between law breakin' and a ... More >>

Michael Venditto, Boca Raton Cheerleading Coach, Arrested on Sexual Battery Charges

Michael Venditto, a Boca Raton cheerleading coach, was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual battery and unlawful sexual activity involving two teenage girls, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Venditto, 27, is charged with unlawful sexual activity with one of his 17-year-old ch ... More >>

Nine Men Arrested for Gambling on Pee Wee Football Games

Nine men have been arrested for gambling on pee wee football games, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. The Lauderhill and Fort Lauderdale police departments, as well as the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the United States Marshals Service, all joined forces in an 18-month-long inves ... More >>

West Palm Man Rides Double-Decker Bicycle Down Dark Road, Dies

Police say 30-year-old Brian T. Magan was riding a double-decker bicycle down Purdy Lane in West Palm Beach on Saturday night. He was wearing dark clothes and had his bike painted gray. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and his mutant bike didn't have reflectors.And he got hit by a van.

Joel Fabian Davila, Boynton Beach Teen, Accused of Shooting Mother's Boyfriend

Police say 17-year-old Joel Fabian Davila is on the run and should be considered "armed and dangerous" after allegedly shooting his mother's boyfriend during a fight.The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office says Davila shot the man at the Sand & Sea Mobile Home Park on the 1600 block of NW 21st Terrace - ... More >>

Two 23-Year-Olds Die in Wellington Wrecks

​UPDATE, 3:41 p.m.: The original post had incorrect information about the first crash. It's been fixed, and comment from the PBSO has been added.Two 23-year-old men were killed in Wellington less than 12 hours apart, according to police.The first happened at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday -- James Duemi ... More >>

More Than a Dozen Killed in South Florida Car Accidents

​If you saw the Miami Herald story this morning about the ten South Floridians killed in car crashes between Saturday night and Sunday night... it gets worse.In addition to the six deaths in Miami-Dade and four in Broward, there were three people killed in Palm Beach County over the weekend as wel ... More >>

Second Suspect Arrested in Jimmy McMillan's Death Identified by Alleged Shooter's Mom

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrested a second suspect in the death of Belle Glade grocery store owner Jimmy McMillan, after he was identified by the mother of the alleged shooter.Jonathan Jones now joins Corey Graham Jr. in the Palm Beach County Jail on charges related to McMillan's death ... More >>

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Gets Its First Homicide of 2012

​Thirty hours and 30 minutes into 2012, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office began investigating its first homicide of the year.The PBSO announced this morning that 49-year-old James McMillan was working at his Belle Glade grocery store when he was shot during an attempted robbery around 6:30 a. ... More >>

Jakaris Taylor, Sentenced to Life at 17 for Role in Gang Rape, Now Resentenced to 60 Years

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeMug shot of Jakaris Taylor taken yesterday.​Jakaris Taylor, one of up to 10 people who took part in a West Palm Beach gang rape of a 35-year-old woman in 2007, as well as the beating of both the woman and her 12-year-old son, was resentenced today to 60 years ... More >>

Synthetic Pot Isn't Illegal... Sometimes... Maybe: An Expert Explains

​Here's the short answer: synthetic weed isn't illegal. Some of the chemicals that can be used to make it are illegal.The longer answer is the reason Boca Raton lawyer Thomas Wright III fields between 15-20 cold calls per day from people who find him online, asking him whether their herbal incense ... More >>

Donna Horwitz Charged With Murder; Allegedly Tried to (Poorly) Stage Ex-Husband's Suicide

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeDonna Horwitz​Donna Horwitz, a 65-year-old Jupiter resident, was indicted by a grand jury late last week in the murder of her ex-husband that occurred just over one month ago.It's safe to say that police got a little suspicious after Lanny Horwitz's body was disco ... More >>

Taurus Bryant Gets Life in Prison After Shooting Man He'd Known for 20 Years Over Fake Drugs

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeTaurus Bryant​After shooting a man he'd known for more than 20 years because the man's uncle wouldn't pay for fake drugs -- and the 13 other criminal convictions on his rap sheet -- Taurus Bryant received a mandatory sentence of life in prison.Back in November 200 ... More >>

Roshard Whitehead Gets Four Life Sentences for Sexually Assaulting His Young Nieces

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeRoshard Whitehead, who apparently needs an introduction to the prison barber.​Roshard Whitehead (and his haircut) will spend the rest of his life in prison for raping his nieces starting when the girls were 6 and 8 years old.Whitehead, a 30-year-old former Riviera ... More >>

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Releases New Sketch of Serial Rapist

PBSOSuspected serial rapist​The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has released a new sketch of the "very violent" serial rapist police believe has sexually assaulted five women between July 2009 and September 2011.The sheriff's office connected the most recent attack from September 23 to the seri ... More >>

Palm Beach County Serial Rapist Attacks Victim Number Five, Police Say

​The "very violent" man suspected of raping women for more than two years has recorded his fifth attack, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office believes.Investigators have connected the September 23 sexual assault of a 22-year-old to their suspected rapist, marking the second assault linked to the ... More >>

We Get Letters: The Sheriff and Sexism and AK-47s

Stanley Cohen, Former Dentist, Arrested for Alleged Hydrocodone Trafficking

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeStanley Cohen was a dentist -- about two years ago.​The cops say 74-year-old Dr. Stanley Cohen had been writing prescriptions for painkillers in his wife's name that he would personally pick up from pharmacies for months.Aside from the large amount of painkillers ... More >>

Boynton Beach Cops Released From Hospital; Burglary Suspect Still Missing

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeIf you see Markell Hollis, call the cops.​All three of the Boynton Beach Police officers injured during Officer Rachel Loy's third car crash have been released from the hospital -- including Loy herself -- but one of the suspects from the burglary they were respon ... More >>

Palm Beach County Worker Accused of Cookin' the Books to Obtain Mortgage Through County

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeSylvia Sharps​For writing "$0.00" instead of "$16,482.75" under the "second job" column of her mortgage application, Palm Beach County employee Sylvia Loretta Sharps could face up to 35 years in prison, according to the State Attorney's Office.Sharps -- who most r ... More >>

Lester Schwalm Convicted of Stealing SUV and Leading Police Chase With Baby in the Backseat

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeWhen Lester Schwalm steals SUVs, he prefers to ignore the possibility babies in the backseat.​On the list of things not to bring on a high-speed police chase through Boynton Beach, someone else's 5-week-old baby is probably pretty high.Lester Edward Schwalm, h ... More >>

Palm Tran Employee on Why She Stole $11,000 of County Property: Boss Was a "Gay Pervert"

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeMelissa Siladke, who allegedly stole $11,000 worth of county property because of her "gay pervert" boss.​The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office was a little curious as to why Melissa Siladke allegedly stole $11,196.45 of taxpayer coin while she was an employee ... More >>

Two Boys, Ages 14 and 16, May Be Charged as Adults in Accidental Killing of Their Accomplice

​The State Attorney's Office is considering whether to charge two boys -- ages 14 and 16 -- as adults after police say one of them accidentally shot and killed their wheelman yesterday as the trio was allegedly about to embark on a crime spree in Boynton Beach.The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Offic ... More >>

Former Rep. Tim Mahoney Faces DUI Charge After Being Found Sleeping in His Car

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeFormer Rep. Tim Mahoney​Former South Florida Democratic Congressman Tim Mahoney faces a DUI charge after Palm Beach Gardens cops found him sleeping one off in his car early Saturday morning.As you may remember, Mahoney had a tough time with purported sex scandals ... More >>

Rick Scott Distributes List of Accomplishments

At a news conference last week at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Gov. Rick Scott's aides left a gift on the chairs of everyone in the audience: a list of Scott's accomplishments for the year. Just in case anyone had forgotten. Take a look -- these items speak for themselves.My favorites: "L ... More >>

West Palm Beach Man's Girlfriend And Wife Fight In The Streets -- Gun Included

PBSOYanelys Chalu​It must've been a chick fight for the ages -- a West Palm Beach man's wife pulls in to a dead end street in her Mercedes-Benz SUV, ready for a fight with the man's girlfriend, who rolls up in her BMW and a loaded .45-caliber handgun.The man's girlfriend, 24-year-old Yanelys Chalu ... More >>

Terrible Packaging Skills Induce Boynton Beach Bomb Scare

Boynton Beach Police DepartmentHere's the nonbomb that showed up at World Savings bank's mail center today.​Apparently a cardboard box semi-sealed by Scotch tape with wires hanging out is all it takes for someone to be pretty sure they just got a bomb in the mail.Boynton Beach police spokeswoman S ... More >>

Too Drunk to Drive? Palm Beach Police Will Give You a Lift

If you feel like the guy in this photo, do not drive home.via Mikezap.com​Arguing with friends over who will be the designated driver on New Year's Eve? Well, if you live in the city of Palm Beach, here's your back-up plan. Police will drive you home without arresting you, that is, unless you act ... More >>

Don't Ask, Don't Tell Crimes and HIV

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeLawrence Hunt has been charged with second-degree murder.​L.C. Swain Middle School teacher Calvin Williams, 41, was allegedly shot and killed this May by a lover who believed Williams had HIV.The lover, Lawrence Hunt, 20, told police he fired his gun because Willi ... More >>

Witness Account of Polo Mogul's Crash: "He Did Not Want to Get Into Trouble."

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeGoodman was charged with DUI manslaughter, failure to render aid, and vehicular homicide.​After crashing his Bentley into another car early on the morning of February 12, a drunken, dazed John Goodman wandered down a dirt road to find someone with a cell phone, ac ... More >>

UPDATED: Polo Club Founder Arrested, Charged With DUI

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office​John Goodman, the multimillionaire founder of the International Polo Club in Wellington, was booked into the Palm Beach County jail early this morning, charged with DUI and vehicular homicide.His arrest comes three months after Goodman allegedly plowed his Bentle ... More >>

Another Child Sex Case in Boynton

Photo: Palm Beach Sheriff's OfficeOctavio Jose​For the second day in a row, the Boynton Beach Police Department has announced the arrest of a man for sex acts with a child relative. Octavio Pedro Jose, 18, has been charged with molesting his 8-year-old sister.According to the arrest affidavit, the ... More >>

Morning Juice: Oil Will Ride Current to South Florida Coast; Circle K Killings an Isolated Event

​Here's what's in the local news this morning:If crews don't fix the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico soon, then scientists say it's "inevitable" that an ocean current will bring that contaminated water up Florida's east coast, through Broward and Palm Beach. [Palm Beach Post]Two forensic psycholog ... More >>

Suit: Polo Owner Was Falling Down Drunk Night of Fatal Crash

Lisa RabFlowers mark the site of the crash where Scott Wilson died.​John Goodman, the multimillionaire owner of the International Polo Club Palm Beach, was so drunk the night of a fatal car crash this February that he "fell down for no apparent reason,"  according to a lawsuit filed in Palm B ... More >>

UPDATED: Homicide Caps String of Violent Crimes in Belle Glade

Flickr user: kevitivityIs the recent violence part of a trend?​An alleged burglary and homicide in Belle Glade yesterday afternoon was the third in a string of violent crimes in the impoverished city in the past ten days.According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, a man in a black hoodie ... More >>

Morning Juice: Foreman Family Hits Jackpot in Davie; Palm Beach Sheriff Tracking Rapist

​The local news this morning:In a deal that looks like a politically motivated rip-off, the town of Davie fast-tracked a $12.5 million purchase of the Foreman family's vacated Palma Nova mobile home park. It took a fat chunk out of the city's rainy day fund. [Sun-Sentinel]Broward Judge Susan Lebow ... More >>

Lake Worth Gang Goes Down to Racketeering Charges

Lake Worth MLK member Martin Martinez, arrested on racketeering charges​The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office announced Friday morning that it has indicted and arrested 12 members of the MLK gang in Lake Worth after a seven-month investigation, dubbed "Operation Vida Loca." The MLK gang, whose mo ... More >>

Morning Juice: Commuter Train Bill on Track for Signature; Rothstein Banker Hopes Deniability Is Plausible

​A look at what's in the news on this morning in South Florida:Frank Spinosa, the TD bank executive who handled Scott Rothstein's investor funds, was fired last month and his attorney says Spinosa's name was falsified in fraudulent documents provided to investors. [Sun-Sentinel]Broward parents' pr ... More >>

Drug Arrest in Boynton Beach Sparks Racial Unrest

Photo: Palm Beach Sheriff's OfficeBarkavius McCray, sporting the shiner he got after his encounter with the Boynton Beach Police.​After arresting a young black man last night in Sara Sims Park, two white Boynton Beach Police officers faced down an angry crowd threatening violence.According to the ... More >>

Morning Juice: Broward School Board Considers Nuclear Fallout; "Smell-a-Vision" Maybe Bad Idea

​The news this morning in South Florida:At last night's Broward County School Board meeting, members discussed a refresher course on ethics. So... like that safety meeting the Soviets had after the meltdown at Chernobyl? [Miami Herald]Crist is going to demand the state review loopholes that allow ... More >>

Border War: Sex Offender Stranded in Delray as Broward Drags Its Feet

Flickr: Zen​Whatever you may think of Ronald Earl Murphy, who in 1996 beat a woman and forced her to have sex, the guy deserves a place to live. The question is where. I posted yesterday about how Murphy, a registered sex offender, has claimed a permanent residence as a transient in Delray Beach. ... More >>

Suspect Charged in Vehicular Homicide in Lake Worth

Photo: Google MapsFlores' vehicle allegedly struck one of these concrete utility poles on this block of Sixth Avenue South in Lake Worth.​The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office is reporting that Antonio Flores, a 24-year-old Lake Worth resident, was driving drunk and without a license when last Thursday ... More >>

Candidate's Wife Gets DUI in Boca

Photo: Palm Beach Sheriff's OfficeAnna Pettersson-Loeb​She's young, beautiful, and married to a rich heir destined for a career in politics, but if Anna Pettersson-Loeb's friends were jealous of her before, they're not today. By virtue of her husband's high profile as a candidate for Florida Senat ... More >>

24-Style Diary of a Palm Beach Sheriff's Anti-Climactic Water Rescue Mission

Flickr: davidousTake the day off, Jack.​A few minutes past midnight today, August 19, and the crisis begins. The clock starts. An excerpt from the first bulletin by the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office:Dawn Roberts and her roommate decided to go fishing at Phil Foster Park. As soon as they arrived at ... More >>

Stabbing Death in Lake Worth

A 35-year-old man from Lake Worth was stabbed to death early this morning near 2nd Avenue North and North A Street, according to a news release by the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office.Richard J. Daniels, a 33-year-old man, also of Lake Worth has been arrested in the death of James H. Russell, his roommat ... More >>

The Duh in Dalia: What She Could Have Learned About Hiring a Hitman in South Florida

Photo: Palm Beach Sheriff's OfficeDalia Dippolito​There are a great many lessons to be learned from the sad story of Dalia Dippolito, the Boynton Beach woman who's accused of paying a hitman (who was actually an undercover agent) to kill her husband.The first is that you shouldn't marry someone on ... More >>

A Bunker in Boca

High prices. Impressive gadgets. Even when it comes to terrorism, Boca is tops.

Badge of Dishonor

The North Palm Beach Public Safety Department has earned a reputation as a hotbed of bad behavior. Now the state is investigating.