Free Republic

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said: 'The politicians are politicking while the victims are being victimized' A tough-on-crime Florida sheriff blasted congressional lawmakers for what he said were lax immigration policies after 21 illegal immigrants were among 228 people arrested in a human-trafficking bust. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the eight-day, multi-agency operation titled "Operation March Sadness 2024" included the arrests of military service members, teachers, coaches and medical professionals. The operation began on Feb. 22. Those accused of being in the United States illegally were from Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, the sheriff's office said. "We...

A massive human trafficking bust in Florida resulted in 228 arrests, including members of the U.S. military and a teacher, authorities said Tuesday. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said 150 suspects, or johns, were arrested along with 66 prostitutes and 12 others in the multi-agency operation dubbed "Operation March Sadness 2024." Among the suspects were a schoolteacher, coaches and active duty military members, among other professions. Of the 228 individuals arrested, 21 were in the country illegally. Authorities also identified at least 13 potential human trafficking victims. The sheriff noted that within one year of performing these types of operations,...

One of two Florida burglary grand theft suspects with a long criminal history bragged that he would be out of jail shortly after his arrest before he realized he was taken into custody in a county where the law is enforced by a no-nonsense sheriff with a tough-on-crime platform. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said his deputies spotted a stolen Dodge Ram just after 1 a.m. Wednesday. The driver, identified as Tamari Lucas, 24, a Tampa resident, and a passenger eventually stopped the truck and fled on foot, authorities said. Lucas was arrested but the passenger was not found, Judd...

Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell saying she is incompetent and neglected her duty.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies arrested 160 people in a seven-day operation focused human trafficking in its area. Deputies said the arrests from “Fall Haul 2” included school teachers, a state corrections officer, and a Disney employee. Twenty-six of those charged were said to be married men, and 15 of the arrests involved people from outside of Florida.

Florida Sheriff Grady Judd, a man who God willing will one day be Attorney General under a DeSantis Administration, is praising a homeowner today. That homeowner protected his home against a home intruder. We've celebrated these stories before. A bad guy does bad guy things. He threatens the life of a good guy. That good guy has a gun. Shots get fired. The good guy isn't the one who is all Swiss-cheese'd up. What really makes this video 10/10 content is Sheriff Judd's vocal defense of the second amendment. "I’m proud of our homeowner for defending himself. It’s called a...

<p>Four people are dead, including an infant, after an armored man shot them before attacking Polk County deputies Sunday morning, Sheriff Grady Judd said in a press conference.</p><p>Judd said around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, deputies were called to a home about a suspicious person on North Socrum Loop Road. When they arrived, a woman told them that a man, later identified as 33-year-old Bryan James Riley, said God sent him to her house to speak with her suicidal daughter Amber, but there was no Amber at that home, Judd said.</p>

While giving a press conference about a drug trafficking sting operation this week, a Florida sheriff tried on a seized gold chain and attempted to spit some bars. Detectives in Polk County, Florida arrested 29 people in the 16-month undercover investigation this week, as the Sheriff’s Office’s narcotics detectives and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force made the 29 arrests and issued 3 other warrants regarding trafficking, sale and possession of illegal drugs. Sheriff Grady Judd tried on a large gold chain during a press conference this week, where he mentioned that some of those arrested were rappers who...

Facebook, the downfall of many a cocky criminal, may have reeled in a new one. Logan Hale of Florida's Polk County was suspected of breaking into a home on Aug. 3 and stealing a shotgun and thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry. Police explained all this in a Friday Felons Facebook post that featured Hale, noting that at age 21 he has "been in the Polk County Jail on five prior occasions. SMH." SMH, indeed: Using the Facebook Name "Logan Finallyfree Hale," Hale replied to the post, writing "HELLO here I am" and "Deputies continue to look for me but...

Two Lake Wales police officers are recovering Wednesday after being shot at by a local man Tuesday night. They are expected to be alright, but authorities say the situation could have been much worse. The Polk County Sheriff's Office says it happened just before 6 p.m. when Officers John Schwarze and Benjamin Metz responded to a call at a home on the 700 block of Hillside Avenue. The homeowner, 58-year-old John Goepferich, reported shots fired and said he needed police, but detectives now believe he was just trying to lure the officers to his home. When they arrived, Lake Wales...

ORLANDO -- Two teenagers accused of cyberbullying a Polk County teen who committed suicide will not face charges. The lawyers of a 14-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl accused of bullying Rebecca Sedwick before her suicide, announced Wednesday that their clients will no longer face aggravated stalking charges. Defense attorney Jose Baez has announced the State of Florida dropped charges against his 12-year-old client during a news conference. “We are very pleased that the State Attorney’s Office through hard work and through extreme professionalism has decided to do the right thing," said Baez, adding that he never believed there was...