News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Aug 14, 2020

Undercover Polk detectives arrest two teens for selling drugs online via Snapchat

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

Three teenage boys who were supposed to be doing virtual school at home while their parents were away at work were instead taking part in an illegal drug transaction.

Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff's Office learned of their operation and arrested two of the three boys on Thursday, August 13, 2020.

The PCSO's Narcotics Unit received information that THC cartridges (used in vape pens) and marijuana were being solicited via the app to Polk County students.

Undercover detectives began communicating with the operator of the Snapchat account, and were eventually able to identify him as 17-year-old boy from Lakeland, and a transaction was arranged.

On Thursday, detectives waited at a gas station where the meet-up was to take place. The suspect and two other boys arrived on bicycles.

The suspect entered the detective's vehicle, and soon called over to the other boys to come over.

One of the other boys (another 17-year-old boy), then entered the back seat of the vehicle, while the third boy, a 14-year-old, remained outside.

The boy in the back seat sold the undercover detective 56.8 grams of high-grade marijuana for $400. At that point, the two 17-year-old boys were arrested. The 14-year-old boy was not charged and turned over to his parents.

"Here is what happens when the parents are away at work and the kids are left home alone to attend virtual school. Without the proper supervision, many of them are going to get into trouble. This particular scheme could have gotten them robbed, hurt, or even killed. This is another example of the potential dangers of social media for children and teens, and the serious danger and trouble that kids can get into on social media platforms when they are not supervised." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

The two 17-year-olds were both taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow and charged with: Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Sell (F3), Possession of Marijuana-Over 20 Grams (F3), Selling Marijuana (F3), Use of 2-Way Communication Device to Sell Marijuana (F3), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

As a reminder, parents should always monitor their children online. Click here for more information: http://www.polksheriff.org/internet-safety