Latest news with #OsceolaCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Child drowns in Central Florida pond while on vacation with family, deputies say
The Brief A child drowned on Friday morning in a Central Florida pond. The child was on vacation with their family. Officials say the drowning was accidental in nature and does not appear to be criminal. KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A child drowned on Friday morning in a Central Florida pond while on vacation with his family, Osceola County deputies say. What we know Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) said they responded to reports of a possible drowning on Friday morning in the area around Westgate Boulevard in Kissimmee. The area is next to the Westgate Vacation Villas Resort, which is in close proximity to the Central Florida theme parks and dozens of other resorts. Osceola County Fire Rescue (OCFR) said they took the child to the hospital, but they did not survive. Officials say the drowning was accidental in nature and does not appear to be criminal. The child and their family were visiting the area on vacation, authorities say. What they're saying "Out of respect and consideration for the family during this difficult time, we will not be releasing any additional information regarding this incident," deputies with the OCSO said. What we don't know Officials have not yet released any details on what led to the drowning and have not identified the child. This is a developing story. Check back later for more information. 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 Osceola County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) and Osceola County Fire Rescue (OCFR) in emails on June 13, 2025.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Osceola deputies made multiple visits to casino allegedly controlled by sheriff
Over the three years prior to the arrest of Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez for racketeering, his own deputies made numerous visits to the illegal casino at the center of the investigation that ensnared him, reports reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel reveal. The reports released Wednesday by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office are a sample of at least 50 incidents at The Eclipse casino to which deputies responded, and concern reported gunshots, armed disturbances and assaults inside and outside the facility — including an alleged attack in January 2024 by a woman working there. The swirl of activity raises questions about what law enforcement knew about the gambling operation, which Lopez allegedly helped run, and whether that knowledge affected its response. The Eclipse was run out of a commercial building in Kissimmee on West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway that in the past has been an Indian-American-pizza restaurant and hookah bar. The sheriff's office records also confirm a previously undisclosed, multi-agency raid on the morning of Aug. 27, 2024, which shut down the casino. That corresponds to a timeline of its operations outlined by prosecutors in their charging document against Lopez and his four co-defendants. The details of Lopez' involvement in the casino are shielded behind a 255-page affidavit that remains under seal. The August raid, according to the brief report released to the Sentinel, involved agents of the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations as well as deputy sheriffs. It resulted months later in Lopez's arrest on racketeering charges, along with the arrest so far of three of his four alleged co-conspirators, stemming from operations there as well as an attempted expansion into Lake County. Details of the raid were redacted by the Sheriff's Office from the documents as being part of an active criminal investigation. However, records show it yielded the arrest days later of Sharon Fedrick, when investigators discovered she was a fugitive in an unrelated Orange County case. Fedrick, now one of Lopez' alleged co-conspirators in the latest case, allegedly worked at the club. Altogether, the reports further confirm deputies were at least aware of The Eclipse's existence as a casino since they had visited the business responding to emergency calls well before the fateful search warrant in August that precipitated the raid. One such incident happened in December 2023 when a security guard there reported being attacked by a man who was asked to leave. But that did not result in an arrest as the guard did not have the trespasser's name. During the January 2024 incident, a woman playing slots there told deputies she won several times before an employee accused her of cheating. When approached at the front desk for an apology, the employee shoved her 'enough that security had to step in and separate them.' No arrest was made in that case, either, after a deputy reported the customer 'was unable to advise any further information other than that [employee] spoke with a Dominican accent.' It's not clear if the deputy assigned to that case followed up about the casino. About a month later deputies were called there again, this time for an alleged robbery. They found a man who 'had a swollen and bruised right eye' as well as lacerations on his face. He told deputies he was attacked by 'several unidentified individuals' but that nothing was taken from him. Once again no arrests were made because the victim was 'completely uncooperative' and refused to even tell deputies where the attack took place. The Eclipse was closed down after the Aug. 27 raid. A few days later, on Sept. 3, Fedrick was taken into custody for organized fraud charges filed in 2020 in Orange County. Court records indicate she had been a fugitive for years despite promises to turn herself in — until she was identified by Osceola deputies hours after the raid. During that confrontation she referred to herself using a fake name but deputies caught onto her ruse and jailed her. She was released on a $20,000 bond shortly after. At the time, the judge overseeing her fraud case wasn't aware of the racketeering charges being developed against Fedrick, Lopez and three others: Carol Cote, Sheldon Wetherholt and Ying Zhang. Now the combination of charges is being used in an attempt to return Fedrick to jail, from which she was released on bond earlier this week. 'There are no conditions of release which are reasonably likely to assure the Defendant's appearance at subsequent appearances,' prosecutors argued in a motion filed Tuesday. 'She was aware of her 2020 capias, refused to turn herself in over the course of four years, continued to engage in illegal activities as a fugitive, and attempted to withhold her true identity when confronted by law enforcement.' Cote and Fedrick were arrested Thursday — the same day as Lopez — and Cote has also been released on bond from the Lake County Jail. Wetherholt was taken into custody Tuesday night and handed a $100,000 bond while Lopez remains in jail with a $1 million price tag for his release, with a sought-after bail reduction hearing canceled on Wednesday. Zhang has not been arrested. Lopez, suspended from his post by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him while Fedrick proclaimed her innocence Monday night as she left jail.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Osceola County man arrested after machete attack outside Circle K
The Brief A man was arrested in Osceola County after allegedly attacking another man with a machete during an argument outside a Circle K on June 9. Angel Ramos-Arce, 35, was charged with aggravated battery after deputies found blood and the weapon in his truck. ORLANDO, Fla. - A man was arrested Monday after allegedly attacking another man with a machete during an argument outside a Circle K in Osceola County, deputies said. What we know Angel Ramos-Arce, 35, was taken into custody and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon following the June 9 incident near the Circle K located at 4692 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, a deputy on patrol was flagged down by a woman who reported that her brother had been assaulted with a machete and was heading to the hospital with the suspect. Deputies located the victim at the hospital and determined the altercation stemmed from a verbal argument between the victim and Ramos-Arce. Investigators found blood inside Ramos-Arce's truck and recovered the machete from the truck bed. Ramos-Arce was booked into the Osceola County Jail. What you can do Authorities ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at (407) 348-2222. 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 The information in this article comes from a report shared by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Osceola sheriff's top director fired, denies knowing of illegal gambling scheme
The Osceola County Sheriff's Office's executive director has been fired following Sheriff Marcos Lopez's arrest on state racketeering charges, after having served him for years as his top advisor during his election campaigns and later as part of his administration. The Sheriff's Office confirmed Nirva Rodriguez's termination days after her employee profile was scrubbed from its website and following questions from news outlets about her status with the agency. On Monday, the agency refused to answer inquiries about her firing and that of Ruben De Jesus, who was described as being a 'civilian employee' after also having worked on Lopez's campaigns. In a statement shared with the Orlando Sentinel, Rodriguez said her firing 'is a separate matter' from Lopez's arrest and suspension. She added: 'I have no knowledge of the allegations against the former sheriff and I am not involved in that investigation.' Rather than explain their ousters and De Jesus' role there, an agency spokesperson told a Sentinel reporter to instead file a public records request. A message seeking comment from De Jesus — a special deputy and a former board member of the agency's Police Athletic League, according to his Linkedin profile — was not immediately returned. While De Jesus held a lower profile following Lopez's election in 2020 and his reelection last year, Rodriguez's ubiquitous presence in the community both in person and online was a hallmark of Lopez's administration, especially on its Spanish-language social media accounts. There, she co-hosted a weekly live show with Lopez called 'Aquí No, Charlatanes' — which means 'Not Here, Charlatans' in English — a roundup that highlighted the agency's initiatives and arrests and is named after a moniker Lopez used to refer to alleged criminals. She would also appear in weekly segments with Lopez on WIPR in Puerto Rico called 'Los Más Buscados,' or 'The Most Wanted,' featuring suspects being sought by law enforcement. 'I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served the citizens of Osceola County, and I am proud of the good work that was accomplished during my time at the agency,' Rodriguez's statement said of her time in the Sheriff's office. 'I feel blessed to have been a part of the time and to have had the chance to make a positive impact in the community. I appreciate the experience and wish the agency and its employees all the best in their future endeavors.' Neither Rodriguez nor De Jesus have been accused of wrongdoing in Lopez's case, but the decision to fire them is a sign that the office is cleaning house of Lopez's allies under interim Sheriff Christopher Blackmon, the Central Florida region chief at Florida Highway Patrol appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis following Lopez's arrest. No other firings have been announced while the Orlando Sentinel awaits fulfillment of its request for separation notices at the agency. Meanwhile, Lopez remains suspended from office while he awaits trial. A charging document released by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accuses Lopez and at least four others of operating an illegal gambling empire in Osceola and Lake counties. Lopez, prosecutors said, made as much as $700,000 in cash from the scheme, which began months after he announced his run for sheriff in 2019 until just recently. That's expected to be detailed in a 255-page affidavit referenced in court Friday by the Office of Statewide Prosecution which remains under seal. Lopez was arrested by federal agents Thursday and, as of Monday, remains in the Lake County Jail on a $1 million bond. He pleaded not guilty to the state charges. Further charges and co-defendants, Uthmeier said, are pending and could include federal crimes.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- 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?
