Ex-Lee County sheriff's deputy sentenced to jail for firing into Lehigh Acres jewelry
Lee Circuit Judge Andrew Marcus sentenced Michael Soto, 37, to 180 days in jail, followed by six years of state probation. Among the conditions of his sentence, he has to forfeit his firearm to the sheriff's office and sign up for anger management, as well as substance abuse and mental health evaluations within 30 days of his release.
Marcus also ordered that Soto not possess drugs or alcohol with random screens and stay away from the location of the offense.
Animal cruelty arrest: Fort Myers woman faces animal cruelty charges after authorities find 13 neglected puppies
Soto faced one count of discharging a firearm in public from a vehicle within 1,000 feet from a person and one count of shooting into an unoccupied building. Court records show that on June 6 he reached a plea agreement with state prosecutors.
According to his 10-page arrest affidavit, shortly before 2 a.m. June 30, 2024, the sheriff's office was alerted of an alarm that went off at Gold Forever Jewelry, 904 Lee Blvd., in Lehigh Acres.
When sheriff's deputies arrived at the business, the report says, they found a shattered front glass door. The affidavit says a representative for the establishment provided authorities with security footage.
The heavily redacted report indicates that through the footage authorities linked Soto to a Ford F-150 pickup on scene.
When sheriff's deputies took him into custody, documents say, Soto refused to speak without a lawyer present.
According to documents provided by the sheriff's office, Soto began his employment as a sheriff's deputy in Lee County in May 2018.
He was one of three Lee County sheriff's deputies arrested in two weeks on varying charges.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Ex-Lee County sheriff's deputy gets jail for shooting into jewelry
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Significant spike' in impaired driving includes six Hamilton deaths
Hamilton police are warning about a concerning rise in impaired driving, including three fatal drunk-driving crashes that have killed six people — among them a 10-year-old girl — since June. On Friday, police announced they have laid impaired and dangerous driving charges in one of the fatal collisions — a three-vehicle crash on June 1 on Upper Centennial Parkway that killed two people. A 32-year-old Hamilton man is accused of drunk driving, driving double the 70 kilometre per hour limit, and driving an unsafe vehicle. The 'significant spike' in impaired driving cases includes a 25 per cent increase in May over 2024, and a 53 per cent increase in June compared to the same month last year, said Const. Trevor McKenna. Overall impaired driving offences are up 11 per cent over 2024. So far this year police have laid 369 impaired charges, with 216 people charged, he said. On June 1, shortly after midnight, police were called to a three-vehicle crash on Upper Centennial Parkway between Mud Street East and Green Mountain Road. The investigation revealed two pickup trucks were southbound when one — a 2014 Ford F-150 — hit the other and then crossed into northbound lanes where it struck a 2015 Kia Sorento head-on. The driver and passenger in the car were tragically killed, police said. They were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the F-150 was treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Following an investigation by the collision reconstruction unit, he was arrested Thursday. Nemanja Trivanovic, 32, from Hamilton is charged criminally with two counts of dangerous driving causing death, two counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of having over 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood causing death. He faces further charges, under the Highway Traffic Act, of stunt driving, speeding 140 km/h in a 70 zone, having defective brakes and operating an unsafe vehicle. The families of the victims are requesting privacy as they grieve, police said in a release Friday. A little over a month after that fatal crash, 30-year-old Julia Smith and her 10-year-old daughter Grace were killed after their car was struck head-on by a pickup truck. Police allege the pickup driver was trying to pass another vehicle on Trinity Church Road on July 6. Grace died at the scene and her mom died in hospital just over a week later. Two men, also in the Honda Civic they were travelling in, were hurt in the crash. McKenna said investigators have identified impaired driving as a factor in the crash. That investigation is ongoing and charges have not yet been laid. Impaired driving was also allegedly behind fiery crash at the top of the Claremont Access that killed two people on June 22 around 3 a.m. In that case, police believe the Chevrolet was southbound on the access, when it left the road, hit the stone wall near Southam Park and caught fire. Both the driver and the passenger were pronounced dead at the scene and no other vehicles were involved. In response to the troubling increase in cases, police are reminding the public there are always alternatives to getting behind the wheel while impaired. These include designating a sober driver, calling a taxi or ride share, and using public transit. 'Plan ahead, your life and others depend on it,' police said. Police say they are also increasing RIDE lanes on the road, and on the water through the marine unit. If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 911. Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
A paid-for trip to talk immigration with Dr. Phil sparks questions about NYPD's John Chell
NEW YORK — John Chell, the NYPD's top uniformed cop, had at least $1,000 in travel expenses covered by Dr. Phil last year to participate in an interview with the conservative TV personality — an example of how the powerful police official has become a mainstay of right-wing media, according to records reviewed by the Daily News. Chell, a key ally to Mayor Eric Adams who was at the time the department's chief of patrol, took the trip to Texas in March 2024 to do an interview with Dr. Phil about New York's 'migrant crime wave.' The intersection of migrants and crime is a key talking point of President Trump's administration as it pursues an aggressive deportation agenda, and Chell's comped Texas trip came at a time he was emerging as a regular on Trump-boosting news shows, raising concerns about him mixing policing with partisan politics. In addition to Dr. Phil's shows, Chell has regularly appeared on Newsmax, a pro-Trump outlet, and Fox News. Wearing full uniform, Chell appeared on Newsmax from inside Madison Square Garden during Trump's October 2024 campaign outlet at the arena. Last year, The News reported that Chell — before being promoted to become the NYPD's chief of department — was even considering quitting public service to join Newsmax as a paid political commentator. Since then, Chell has bolstered ties with Trump, including golfing with the president at his New Jersey club last month, while also attracting scrutiny from city oversight agencies over some of his political activities. Chell, a registered independent voter, didn't violate rules or laws by having his Texas tab picked up by Dr. Phil. Chell also regularly appears on media outlets seen as less partisan, including local and national TV stations. Still, Manhattan Councilwoman Gale Brewer, a Democrat who's the chairwoman of the Council's Oversight Committee, argued Chell appearing on overtly pro-Trump outlets takes on a potentially problematic political overtone. 'It could be a problem to go on quasi news channels that are very conservative and Trump-oriented because it doesn't look great for the police department,' said Brewer, whose committee has oversight to probe the NYPD. 'But it is not illegal as far as I can tell.' Ken Frydman, a longtime New York media consultant who has worked for several of the NYPD's labor unions, agreed with Brewer, calling Chell's Dr. Phil appearance 'not only bad optics' but also 'inappropriate.' Senior police officials like Chell, Frydman added, shouldn't engage in activities that could be construed as 'public political positions' as that could send a signal that the NYPD as a whole is partisan. Details about Chell's Texas trip were included in his 2024 financial disclosure, provided to The News this month by the city Conflicts of Interest Board. The document shows Dr. Phil, a vocal Trump supporter whose real name is Phil McGraw, paid between $1,000 and $5,000 on 'travel & lodging' for the chief. The disclosure, which only offers a range as opposed to an exact dollar figure, says the trip had a 'city-related' purpose, meaning Chell's travel was considered an official government activity. Adams' office has routinely said the city pays for expenditures related to official activities municipal employees engage in. But an NYPD spokesperson noted the City Charter allows for officials to accept travel costs as a gift when 'the trip is for a City purpose and therefore could properly be paid for with City funds.' 'The purpose of the trip was to exchange views regarding policing in America, including discussion regarding the challenges facing New York City amid the migrant crisis,' said the spokesperson, who didn't provide the exact cost of Chell's accommodations and airfare. Earlier this year, the Department of Investigation determined that Chell violated NYPD guidelines by using his official social media accounts to go after political critics online, a finding that came after Chell had planned to deliver remarks at a Republican club meeting in Queens. Then, earlier this month, it emerged the Department of Investigation has separately started looking into a complaint alleging Chell misused police resources by bringing his security detail along with him as he traveled to his Trump golf outing last month. That complaint was filed by Rev. Kevin McCall, a Brooklyn civil rights activist and pastor. In response to Dr. Phil paying for Chell's Texas trip, McCall said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch should 'get a hold of this media monger.' 'This is an insult to every New Yorker who expects NYPD to be a public institution not a personal brand platform,' McCall said. 'John Chell is being allowed to run rogue.' Since Chell's Texas trip, Dr. Phil has grown increasingly close with Adams and his administration. Last month, the New York Times reported Dr. Phil introduced Adams to Tom Homan, Trump's 'border czar,' who then proceeded to coordinate with administration officials on deportation raids that were called off by Tisch amid concerns they would have violated local sanctuary laws. Recently, Dr. Phil's TV network also signed a deal with Adams' office to do a documentary called 'Behind the Badge,' which is expected to highlight the work of the NYPD, specifically focusing on Chell and Kaz Daughtry, Adams' deputy mayor for public safety. Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak declined this month to share a copy of the Dr. Phil contract. _____
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Washington Post
California utility creates fund for victims of January's deadly Eaton Fire near LA
LOS ANGELES — Southern California Edison announced this week that it will create a fund to compensate victims of January's devastating Eaton Fire near Los Angeles, even as the cause of the blaze that killed 19 people remains under investigation. The creation of the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program seems to suggest that the utility is prepared to acknowledge what several lawsuits claim : that its equipmentsparked the conflagration in Altadena. 'Even though the details of how the Eaton Fire started are still being evaluated, SCE will offer an expedited process to pay and resolve claims fairly and promptly,' Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility's parent company, said in a statement Wednesday. 'This allows the community to focus more on recovery instead of lengthy, expensive litigation.' Officials haven't said what caused the fire that destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures . It is not clear how much money the utility will contribute to the fund. A lawsuit filed by Los Angeles County in March claims that costs and damage estimates were expected to total hundreds of millions of dollars, with assessments ongoing. SCE said the compensation program, which will go into effect this fall, would be open to those who lost homes, rental properties or businesses. It would also cover those who suffered injuries, were harmed by smoke or had family members who were killed. Among those suing SCE is EJ Soto, whose rental home in Altadena where she grew up was destroyed by flames. She first heard about the fund on the news. She said she considers the fund's creation as a 'form of admission' from the utility that its equipment caused the inferno. Soto worries that her family will receive 'pennies on the dollar' and said the utility is trying to get out ahead of future lawsuits. 'All our memories are there, places we raised our children. Money won't bring that back. They need to know that our pain is greater than that,' Soto said Thursday. The SCE payment plan is being created by administrators who helped form similar programs, including the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. LA County previously won more than $64 million in a settlement with Southern California Edison over the 2018 Woolsey Fire . Investigators determined SCE's equipment sparked that blaze, and the utility also paid more than $2 billion to settle related insurance claims. Utility equipment has sparked some of the deadliest and most destructive fires in state history in recent years. LA Fire Justice, which advocates for wildfire victims, said in a statement Thursday that the SCE program's creation shows that the utility is prepared to accept responsibility. But the nonprofit said a similar fund by Pacific Gas & Electric following wildfires in Northern California was slow to roll out and inefficient. 'Experience suggests that these direct payments for victims are neither quick, nor easy, nor equitable. PG&E offered a similar program and wildfire victims ended up receiving inadequate compensation, and it didn't happen fast,' said Doug Boxer, an attorney for LA Fire Justice. Investigators are also working to determine the cause of the Palisades Fire , which broke out shortly before the Eaton Fire and killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of structures in Los Angeles.
