News and Investigations

Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives assigned to the Northeast District in the Four Corners area of Polk County solved a string of vehicle burglaries in Poinciana and arrested the two teenaged suspects responsible; they also recovered a stolen firearm the suspects used to threaten another teen.


The investigation began on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, when deputies learned an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon occurred in the Gannet Court area of Poinciana. One teen suspect pointed a loaded handgun at another teen and told the victim he was going to shoot him. The victim fled. 


Deputies identified the teen named Christopher as 17-year-old Christopher Thomas. While responding to Thomas' home on Gannet Court, they saw him walking down Audubon Road with 16-year-old Jeremius Butler (who lives on Kingfish Drive). The deputies asked the pair about the handgun, at which point Thomas admitted to seeing Butler point it at the victim and then throw it into the woods. He continued to cooperate and showed deputies where the loaded Glock 43 was tossed. Butler implicated Thomas as well and said Thomas helped him hide the firearm. 


When deputies learned the gun had been reported stolen the previous day by a homeowner on Platypus Court, Thomas and Butler admitted to stealing the gun from that victim's vehicle. Detectives discovered more vehicle burglaries in the area during the same time frame -- two other burglaries occurred on Blackbird Way, and the suspects are seen in video surveillance committing those. The suspects told deputies they wore masks and acted as lookouts for each other while breaking into cars. The victims reported cash and purses stolen from unlocked cars. Two other vehicles were not broken into due to their doors being locked. 


Christopher Thomas, who is on probation, was arrested and charged with: armed burglary (F1); commission of felony while wearing mask (F1); grand theft (F3); grand theft of a firearm (F3); 2 counts burglary of a conveyance (F3); 2 counts attempted burglary (F3); 2 counts conspiracy to commit burglary (F3); aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (F3), tampering with evidence (F3), possession of a firearm by a person under 18 years old (M1), and violation of probation (M2).


Jeremius Butler was arrested and charged with: armed burglary (F1); commission of felony while wearing mask (F1); grand theft (F3); grand theft of a firearm (F3); 2 counts burglary of a conveyance (F3); 2 counts attempted burglary (F3); 2 counts conspiracy to commit burglary (F3); aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (F3), tampering with evidence (F3), and possession of a firearm by a person under 18 years old (M1).


"This goes way beyond kids behaving badly. These kids broke into cars, stole a gun, and then used that loaded gun to threaten another teen. It's time for some serious consequences for these felonious juveniles. And one more thing - lock your car doors!" - Grady Judd, Sheriff