'Deeply disturbing': Florida man enters plea in monkey torture video case



A Florida man entered a plea at the beginning of the month following a particularly disturbing case involving monkeys investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

Francisco Javier Ravelo, 36, of Coral Gables, Florida, pleaded guilty on March 2 to distributing videos depicting the torture of monkeys. Ravelo was charged in October 2025.

'It reflects a willingness to dominate, torture, and inflict suffering without remorse.'

The Department of Justice's press release, citing court documents, explains that Ravelo, a U.S. citizen, "created some and administered some online chat groups dedicated to the distribution and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being mutilated and burned, including baby and adult monkeys."

The DOJ said Ravelo personally distributed "more than 40 of these obscene crush videos."

RELATED: 'Staged armed robberies': 11 Indian nationals catch visa fraud charge amid conspiracy allegations

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. law defines "animal crushing" as "actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians is purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury."

"In his first term, President Donald J. Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act into law to end animal crushing," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "If you are involved in this sadistic activity, we will prosecute you."

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said: "Deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest red flags. It reflects a willingness to dominate, torture, and inflict suffering without remorse. The defendant didn't merely view this material. He created and administered online groups devoted to it and distributed dozens of obscene animal torture videos. That conduct fuels a market built on brutality."

HSI New Orleans, HSI Pensacola, the local U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division investigated the case that led to Ravelo's guilty plea, according to an ICE press release.

Ravelo faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

What was to be fun Florida trip ends in 'cold-blooded' triple murder: Elderly tourists dead, suspect earlier beat murder rap



A Florida man is accused of going on a killing spree and gunning down three elderly tourists during their vacation near Disney World. The suspect previously beat an attempted murder charge with an insanity defense, according to court records.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said in a recent statement that officers responded to reports of a shooting near a residence in Kissimmee around 12:13 p.m. Jan. 17.

'It was cold-blooded, it was premeditated ... absolutely no issues.'

Police said they "discovered three adult males deceased in front of the home" and that "all three victims suffered from apparent gunshot wounds."

Deputies quickly located and arrested the suspect — 29-year-old Ahmad Jihad Bojeh.

Bojeh is facing three counts of premeditated murder and one count of resisting arrest without violence, according to Osceola County Jail records. Bojeh is being detained at the Osceola County Jail without bond.

"There is no threat to the community, as the suspect responsible for these horrific and senseless murders has been apprehended by Osceola County deputies," said Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon.

Blackmon told the Tampa Bay Times that Bojeh lived next door to the rental property where the tourists were staying.

"It was cold-blooded, it was premeditated ... absolutely no issues," Blackmon told Fox News. "There was no conflict between these people. This was just random. And this happened to be the person who lived next door."

After securing a warrant, deputies searched Bojeh's residence and recovered two firearms, police said. Police noted that the firearms were being examined to see if they were used in the fatal shootings.

Sheriff Blackmon described Bojeh as a "frequent flyer" with police and added to Fox News that he is "a threat to the neighborhood all the time," citing repeated calls for service involving the suspect.

Blackmon said the motive for the shooting is unclear; the investigation into the killings remains ongoing.

Fox News reported that the three friends — 68-year-old Douglas Kraft of Columbus, Ohio, 70-year-old Robert Kraft of Holland, Michigan, and 68-year-old James Puchan of Galena, Ohio — attended a car show together. Two of the slain tourists were brothers.

Families and friends of the slain victims released a joint statement to WKMG-TV: "With heavy hearts, we confirm the deaths of our beloved husbands, fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and friends."

The statement added that the tourists visited the Mecum Car Show in Kissimmee and were staying at a local Airbnb rental property.

"While waiting for assistance after rental car trouble and preparing to travel home, they were being observed from a distance by an unknown individual who was well-known to local law enforcement," the statement read.

The tourists were "approached and senselessly murdered" in a "random, tragic act," the families stated.

"Our families are left with an unexpected, unimaginable loss that cannot be put into words," the statement said.

"We ask for privacy, prayers, and respect as we mourn and begin to process this tragedy," the families concluded.

RELATED: What was to be a fun bachelor party in Florida ends with best man dead, 3 friends hospitalized, another sentenced to prison

Previously, Bojeh reportedly was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder but was released back on the streets on the grounds of insanity.

WOFL-TV reported that deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office arrested Bojeh in 2021 for attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and two counts of criminal mischief in connection with an alleged shooting at a Wawa convenience store and gas station.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote on the X social media platform, "Prior to State Atty [Monique H.] Worrell's suspension, Ahmad Jihad Bojeh was acquitted of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and aggravated battery."

Uthmeier continued, "It appears she didn't put up a fight to Bojeh's use of the insanity defense, and he was allowed to go free." The attorney general added, "This guy, literally named Ahmad 'Jihad' Bojeh, shoots three tourists after being acquitted of multiple violent crimes on grounds of insanity."

Uthmeier also declared, "This is why I've proposed Florida's legislature narrow the insanity defense. Violent criminals should not be set free to hurt others!"

He also told WOFL, "If there's a risk of them harming others, we need to ensure they're locked up."

Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that Bojeh was banned from owning firearms as part of his insanity plea.

WOFL reported that Bojeh was arrested in 2019 for retail theft.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Florida man wearing bra, fake breasts, G-string gets busted — but what cops found moments later raised more alarms: Police



A Florida man wearing a lace bra, a G-string thong, and fake breasts was caught trespassing at a construction site, according to police. However, authorities said the bizarre situation escalated when a deputy discovered something alarming under his prosthetic silicone breasts.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd began his Monday morning briefing by stating: "Now occasionally I bring you stuff that you just can't believe, that you'll never get over, that may even scar you for life."

'Can you imagine? He's mad at us for trying to find out why he's wearing lace bras with guns and G-strings or G-somethings.'

According to the affidavit provided to Blaze News by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, a deputy encountered 39-year-old Matthew Zaccarino of Altamonte Springs at a construction zone around 1:19 a.m. Dec. 14.

The affidavit states Zaccarino's vehicle was parked on private property with signs posted that read: "No Trespassing."

A deputy made contact with Zaccarino, "who was standing next to the vehicle's open passenger-side door and putting on female clothing (bra and panties)," the affidavit said.

Judd added, "We see this dude wearing a red lace bra, with prosthetic silicone breasts. Then we noticed he's wearing a G-string — showing off the boys. You know what I mean?"

Judd said the deputy believed the situation was "highly unusual."

Zaccarino told the deputy he was on his way to a "costume party," according to Judd.

However, when the deputy pressed him about the costume party, Zaccarino couldn't answer the question, Judd said.

The affidavit states that Zaccarino was "unable to provide a location, direction, or identify individuals who would be present" at the supposed party.

The affidavit also states the deputy issued several lawful commands for the suspect to stop moving, but he "refused to comply, removed his bra and silicone breast prosthesis, and began reaching inside the vehicle."

At that time, the officer handcuffed the suspect.

Sheriff Judd stressed that these kinds of strange encounters can be extremely dangerous for officers.

RELATED: WATCH: Florida man says he 'teleported' into stolen BMW, blames 'X-Men,' thanks cop for rescuing him from 'aliens'

According to the affidavit, the deputy was looking down at the bra and breast prosthesis and noticed a "loaded H&K 9mm firearm under the items" on the passenger-side floorboard near where Zaccarino was standing.

"Such loitering and prowling occurred under circumstances that warranted justifiable and reasonable alarm for the safety of people or property in the vicinity," the deputy wrote in the affidavit.

Zaccarino then clammed up and refused to talk to law enforcement, according to Judd.

"Can you imagine? He's mad at us for trying to find out why he's wearing lace bras with guns and G-strings or G-somethings," Judd stated.

"Oooh, it was ugly. It was so ugly," Judd remarked.

Zaccarino was arrested and charged with armed trespass, resisting without violence, and loitering and prowling.

According to Polk County Sheriff's Office jail records, Zaccarino was released on a $6,250 bond.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

5 craziest 'Florida man' crime stories of 2025 that sound fake — but aren't



The notorious "Florida man" didn’t just live up to his reputation in 2025 — he shattered it.

The Sunshine State became a rolling highlight reel of off-the-rails antics, including a meth-fueled birthday joyride on a stolen train and a crazy police bodycam video capturing the arrest of a costumed suspect as stunned families watched in disbelief at a Chuck E. Cheese.

'Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?'

So we hereby present the top five wildest incidents of the year involving the infamous "Florida man."

1. Key West chaos: Man with meth pipe hijacks tourist train on birthday, police say

As Blaze News reported in July, a 57-year-old Florida man allegedly celebrated his birthday with a meth-fueled joyride by hijacking a tourist train in Key West.

Citing the arrest report, WPLG-TV said Jonathan Patrick Winslow stole the Conch Tour Train and even managed to pick up "two random passengers" while driving the trolley.

When confronted by cops, Winslow had a meth pipe in his possession — and he told deputies that it was a "weed pipe," according to the police report.

Police said Winslow told officers he previously worked at the Conch Tour Train Depot, that he merely "borrowed" the train — and that "today is his birthday."

Despite it being his birthday, Winslow was arrested and hit with burglary, grand theft auto, and drug charges.

2. Kids watch in shock as man in a mouse costume is arrested at Chuck E. Cheese

What was supposed to be a fun, innocent time for children devolved into a bizarre arrest caught on police bodycam footage that captured officers arresting a Chuck E. Cheese mascot — with kids and parents watching.

Blaze News reported in September that 41-year-old Jermel Jones was accused of allegedly purchasing items with someone else's credit card.

"We’re gonna detain the mouse," a police officer is heard telling a fellow cop on bodycam footage as they enter the pizza restaurant in Tallahassee.

An officer about to confront the man in the mouse costume is heard telling a woman, "Chuck E.’s a little bit busy, ma’am."

A police officer orders the man in the costume, "Chuck E., come with me. Chuck E! Chuck E! Stop resisting! You’re being detained! Stop resisting! Let it go! Do not cause a scene here, sir."

The Chuck E. Cheese mascot is handcuffed and then escorted out of the children's restaurant as parents and kids watch in stunned disbelief.

A woman is heard yelling at the officers, "I would like y’all to walk him out the door instead of traumatizing all these children seeing someone like Chuck E. Cheese get arrested."

She then asks, "Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?"

Jones was arrested and charged with theft of a credit card, criminal use of personal identification information, and fraudulent use of a credit card totaling over $100.

3. Florida man offers cops alcoholic drink during car chase — then gets tased

Only in Florida does a police pursuit include a suspect casually offering officers an alcoholic drink mid-chase.

In April, police were called to a local market after a report of a theft of alcoholic beverages, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.

Blaze News reported that 39-year-old Richard Christopher Smith of Miami was driving a black minivan in circles near the market, after which a miles-long police chase ensued.

The sheriff's office said Smith was holding a can of Ketel One vodka spritz out the window of the minivan as he drove by a deputy attempting to pull him over. Smith is heard in the bodycam video telling the officer, "I was just going to give you a drink, that’s it."

The sheriff's office said in a statement, "We don’t know if he was expecting us to just say 'Cheers!' and let him go, or what."

Officials added, "After his toast, Smith attempted to ram two patrol vehicles in the midst of getting all four tires flattened by spike strips."

The minivan slowed down, and the crazy police pursuit ended several miles away in the parking lot of a business at the Sebring Airport. Bodycam video shows Smith exiting the minivan and being greeted by cops with their guns drawn and ordering the suspect to get on the ground.

However, the suspect is seen not obeying orders and walking toward a deputy — and Smith gets tased and falls headfirst on the pavement.

According to the bodycam video, Smith asks officers why he's being arrested, to which the deputy replies, "A lot of stupid s**t, right now."

Smith is heard saying to the officers in the bodycam footage, "You guys had fun, though, right?"

Jail records show that Smith was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a DUI test, and petty theft.

4. Here's how an alligator sent Florida folks flying

Florida motorcyclists were sent flying over their handlebars after slamming into a large alligator on a highway.

Blaze News reported in June that two motorcyclists collided with a six-foot alligator on Interstate 4 in Orange City. The impact of hitting the alligator crossing the highway sent both riders soaring into the air.

Motorcyclist Cameron Gilmore told WESH-TV, "I saw it, like, 10 feet in front of me, and I just, you know, I thought — I knew I was going to hit it. It kind of just happened so quick."

Gilmore added, "I didn't even have a second to do anything. Couldn't put on the brakes or not. And I just had to hold on."

Gilmore said the collision caused him to "start flying for a long way."

The two bikers were rushed to the HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

5. Sex offender gets rejected at job interview — reacts by flinging bottles of urine

A Florida man reportedly turned a denied job interview into a criminal spectacle and threw bottles of urine at a store.

As Blaze News reported in April, 51-year-old John Connaughton asked for a job interview at a door store in St. Petersburg.

Connaughton was rejected, after which he lashed out by hurling multiple bottles filled with urine at the front of the store, according to an arrest affidavit. Urine splattered on building materials and splashed at least one employee, court documents say.

The affidavit accused Connaughton of causing more than $1,000 in damage "to various building materials" by "splattering [them] with urine."

Image source: Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement

Connaughton reportedly fled, but two men chased after him. Connaughton — a registered sex offender — raised his skateboard over his head as if he were going to hit one of the men with it, according to the arrest affidavit.

The St. Petersburg Police Department arrested Connaughton, and he was charged with felony battery, criminal mischief, and two counts of aggravated assault, according to court records.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

WATCH: Florida man says he 'teleported' into stolen BMW, blames 'X-Men,' thanks cop for rescuing him from 'aliens'



A Florida man was arrested after getting into a car crash with a vehicle that was reported stolen earlier this month. However, the case took a strange twist when the suspect said he was "teleported" into the stolen BMW by the "X-Men" — but he was now safe from the "aliens," according to police bodycam video.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that a car owner informed police that his BMW convertible had been stolen while he was walking his dog at Bicentennial Park in Ormond Beach.

'You saved me from the aliens!'

The man admitted to law enforcement that he had left his BMW unlocked and that the car keys were in a "closed cup holder."

Police bodycam video — recorded Dec. 8 — shows a witness telling a deputy that a man in his 30s with blond shoulder-length hair was in a BMW at the park.

"He kept asking for a light," the witness told the deputy. "I thought, 'How does he have a BMW if he doesn't even have a lighter for a cigarette?'"

A few minutes later, the BMW crashed at Old Dixie Highway and Plantation Oaks Boulevard, the sheriff's office stated.

Bodycam footage shows the car crash site, with one witness claiming that the BMW was traveling at 130 miles per hour. The wrecked BMW is seen half off the road with the front of the vehicle severely mangled after it seemingly crashed into the trees near the highway in a one-car accident.

A deputy confronted the alleged driver of the stolen BMW — 36-year-old Calvin Curtis Johnson.

Johnson — who is seen with blood on his face — is heard telling the deputy, "I don't know how I got in the car. I teleported or something."

When the deputy asks where he got the car from, Johnson shrugs and responds, "I don't know," and once again suggests that he "teleported" into the vehicle.

The suspect then appears to blame the situation on the "X-Men."

According to the bodycam video, the deputy asks the suspect if he had just been to Bicentennial Park, to which Johnson replies, "They told me — the X-Men — to do it."

A distraught Johnson is heard on video stammering, "I don't do that stuff. Someone told me to get in there. Someone's in my head. Thank you for saving me. I don't know how I got in there."

Then an excited Johnson exuberantly proclaimed to the deputy, "You saved me from the aliens!"

The police bodycam footage also shows the officer dousing flames from a small fire from the car crash.

RELATED: Florida man with meth pipe steals tourist train, picks up passengers for wild ride — and announces it's his 'birthday': Cops

Johnson was arrested, taken to the Halifax Health Medical Center for treatment, and booked into the Volusia County Jail. Johnson was hit with charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving with a canceled, suspended, or revoked license, according to jail records.

According to Volusia County jail records, Johnson has a lengthy rap sheet with arrests for assault with a deadly weapon, resisting an officer without violence, loitering or prowling, uttering a forged check, trespassing, several charges for failing to appear in court, and operating a vehicle while a driver's license was suspended, canceled, or revoked.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that Johnson is homeless.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up!

Florida man armed to the teeth issues 'dirty bomb' warning after he crashes car, triggering lockdown



Police responded to a car crash at a grocery store late last week only to encounter a Florida man armed to the teeth, who warned he had a "dirty bomb," according to authorities. The alarming dirty bomb remark triggered a lockdown of the area, police said.

Late Friday night, officers with the Haines City Police Department responded to reports of a vehicle crash at a Publix grocery store in Davenport.

'Officers located a yellow plastic container secured with chains and locks with a radioactive warning label and immediately repositioned to a safe distance, shut down roadways, and requested assistance from the Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives.'

Police said officers made contact with 43-year-old Benjamin Donald Johnson — a driver allegedly involved in the car accident.

Police said in a statement, "Officers were ultimately required to physically remove Johnson from the truck, at which point multiple firearms were observed in plain view."

Police said while the suspect was being detained in the back of a patrol vehicle, an officer heard Johnson saying that there was a "dirty bomb” in his Chevrolet Silverado truck.

Police stated, "Officers located a yellow plastic container secured with chains and locks with a radioactive warning label and immediately repositioned to a safe distance, shut down roadways, and requested assistance from the Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives."

Police imposed a lockdown of the area near the vehicle in question for several hours "out of an abundance of caution" and to "ensure the safety" of anyone nearby.

RELATED: Florida man with meth pipe steals tourist train, picks up passengers for wild ride — and announces it's his 'birthday': Cops

Before the bomb squad arrived, a Florida State Fire Investigator at the crime scene confirmed the container was "emitting positive radioactivity," according to police.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and an FBI bomb technician launched an investigation into the possible dirty bomb.

According to police, investigators said a device was inside the yellow container. The investigators allegedly determined it was a moisture density gauge, which is "commonly used for soil testing, and contained less radioactivity than a medical X-ray."

The statement said the container was transported to the Haines City Police Department, where it will be "further inspected" by members of the Florida Bureau of Radioactive Material.

Officers conducted a search of Johnson's truck, and police said they found a "multitude of firearms and ammunition, firearm magazine speed loaders, thermal scopes, knives, a battering ram, night vision goggles, cannabis, and gummies, which tested positive for THC."

Johnson told investigators he was in the area for work and had been living out of his pickup truck with his dog, police said.

The dog was transferred to a local animal control service.

Jail records from the Polk County Sheriff's Office show that Johnson was arrested and charged with hoax weapon of mass destruction, false report concerning a bomb or explosive, resisting an officer without violence, unlawful possession of cannabis resin, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and use of a firearm under the influence of alcohol.

Police noted that Johnson's prior criminal history revealed he had been arrested for possession of marijuana in Tennessee.

Police said the case remains under investigation.

The Haines City Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up!

Florida sheriff defends McDonald's worker who shot customer in the neck: 'It was just a McMess'



A late-night food run escalated into a stand-your-ground shooting at a McDonald's when two Florida men caused a "McMess," according to police.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said a McDonald's got overwhelmed by orders after several events in the area ended early in the morning of Oct. 12.

'What do these goober smoochers do?'

Yoan Soto — a 21-year-old employee at the McDonald's in Davenport, the sheriff's office said — was working an overnight shift.

Two men — 20-year-old Peter Story and 18-year-old Nicholas Jones — pulled into the drive-thru to order food. However, there was reportedly a long wait.

According to Judd, Soto told Jones and Story, "Hey, sorry guys, but we’re way behind ... our online orders are overwhelming us."

However, the two customers allegedly became furious.

Judd said, "They threatened to attack the man who just told them, ‘We’re busy, we can’t take any more orders,’ and he did that because the manager told him to."

Sheriff Judd said the two customers threatened Soto with violence.

"We're going to hang out here," the pair allegedly told Soto, according to Judd. "When you get off, we are going to beat you up."

Judd added, "What do these goober smoochers do? They park their vehicle, and they come into the restaurant."

Sheriff Judd said Soto and the two customers began "jawing" and "having a McArgument in the McDonald’s over McHamburgers, or lack of McHamburgers."

The 22-year-old McDonald’s manager reportedly told Story and Jones to leave because they were trespassing.

Judd said the two customers threatened to commit a "mass shooting" at the McDonald's, which allegedly had other customers inside the restaurant.

Surveillance video shows Soto walking out of the back of the restaurant with a gun and pointing it at the unruly customers — and Judd backed Soto's actions as self-defense.

"And [Soto] comes into the lobby to confront these guys who've threatened him and threatened the store and threatened to shoot the place up," Judd said. "And now he's trying to get them out of the store."

Jones and Story are seen swinging their hands in an apparent attempt to take Soto's gun.

Judd noted that "as they try to grab his gun, [Soto] pulls the trigger, and he shoots Peter Story in the neck."

Jones then drove Story to a local hospital.

"It's a blessing that it was a very minor wound," Judd said.

RELATED: Florida couple charged with manslaughter after 3-year-old died while 'rotting in the bed,' sheriff: 'I have never, ever seen anything as sad, as bone-chilling, and as sickening'

Judd said Soto retrieved the bullet casing and projectile from the floor and fled the McDonald's.

Authorities allegedly convinced Soto to return to the scene of the crime, and he cooperated with police.

Soto was charged with tampering with evidence, which is a felony.

Story and Jones were charged with trespass after warning and disorderly conduct.

"Listen folks, it’s never OK to threaten a mass shooting," Judd stressed. "It’s never OK to threaten to beat people up at a business. And it’s never OK to grab your ammunition and your firearm and run after a shooting."

Judd again backed Soto's self-defense attempt: "He has a right to stand his ground and protect himself, and these guys are threatening to do violence after they’ve already threatened on the outside of the store and came inside."

Judd said of the two customers, "They created a well-founded fear in him and the store manager. It was just a McMess, but we’ll sort it out because we are McGood at investigating McCrime."

Neither McDonald's nor the Polk County Sheriff's Office immediately responded to Blaze News' request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Bizarre bodycam video shows Florida cops arresting Chuck E. Cheese mascot as kids, parents watch in shock



Police bodycam video shows the moment children and parents watched in shock as a Florida man dressed in a Chuck E. Cheese mascot costume was arrested.

The Tallahassee Police Department recently released bodycam video of the eye-opening July 23 arrest.

'Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?'

Police bodycam footage shows officers marching into a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Tallahassee.

"We’re gonna detain the mouse," an officer is heard telling a fellow cop on video as they enter the pizza restaurant geared toward kids.

Bodycam footage shows children playing arcade games as officers walk toward an individual dressed from head to toe as the Chuck E. Cheese mouse mascot.

"Chuck E.’s a little bit busy, ma’am," an officer tells a woman.

The officer orders the person in the mouse costume, "Chuck E., come with me. Chuck E! Chuck E! Stop resisting! You’re being detained, stop resisting! Let it go! Do not cause a scene here, sir."

The Chuck E. Cheese mascot is handcuffed and then escorted out of the children's restaurant as parents and kids watch in disbelief.

As one of the officers exits the restaurant, a furious woman scolds the cop for arresting the mouse mascot in front of children at the restaurant.

"I would like y’all to walk him out the door instead of traumatizing all these children seeing someone like Chuck E. Cheese get arrested," the woman is heard saying.

She then asks, "Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?"

Tallahassee Police Department spokesperson Alicia Hill previously told the Tallahassee Democrat that officers had planned to escort the Chuck E. Cheese mascot from the restaurant and handcuff him outside. But police said they became nervous after the suspect resisted.

Hill explained that when officers approached the individual in the Chuck E. Cheese mascot costume, the suspect "immediately tenses up and resists, and so at this point they make the decision to put him in handcuffs" for the safety of the suspect, customers, and officers.

Hill added that it was "unfortunate" that the suspect "happened to be in a suit and in costume."

RELATED: Wild arrest video allegedly shows lottery millionaire kicking cop in face just 1 day after claiming record jackpot

"The parents were not happy with us detaining Chuck E. Cheese," one officer tells another cop in the clip.

The other cop responds, "Too bad."

After police remove the costume head from the suspect's head, exposing his face, officers attempt to search the handcuffed man for weapons. However, the suspect is still wearing the rest of the mouse costume, which makes it difficult to detect if the suspect has any weapons on him.

“I’m working, you know, I’m just doing my job," the suspect tells cops. "What the f**k is this about?”

Police arrested 41-year-old Jermel Jones for allegedly purchasing items with someone else's credit card.

Citing the probable cause affidavit, Fox News reported that a woman informed police that her debit card went missing June 28 and that she last recalled seeing her debit card at the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant for her child's birthday party.

WKMG-TV reported that the woman said her debit card was used at a smoke shop, a grocery store, and a Whataburger fast-food restaurant without her knowledge or consent.

Police said officers found the stolen credit card in the suspect's left front pocket. Jones reportedly told officers that he "never used" the debit card and denied any wrongdoing,

"Jones was also in possession of a small amount of marijuana," the affidavit stated, according to Fox News. Jones allegedly told a police officer that he was "on the way" to getting a medical marijuana license.

According to WPEC-TV, Jones was charged with theft of a credit card, criminal use of personal identification information, and fraudulent use of a credit card totaling over $100.

Jones was released the next day on a $1,000 bond.

A Chuck E. Cheese spokesperson told People magazine, "We have taken the appropriate action concerning the subject employee."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Florida man with meth pipe steals tourist train, picks up passengers for wild ride — and announces it's his 'birthday': Cops



A Florida man celebrated his birthday on July 4 by stealing a tourist train in Key West, picking up passengers, and having a meth pipe in his possession, according to police.

Citing the arrest report, WPLG-TV said police received a call just before 11:30 a.m. Friday that a man had stolen the Conch Tour Train.

The arrest report states Winslow picked up 'two random passengers' while driving the trolley.

Police officers responded to the Conch Tour Train Depot, where they were informed that one of the trackless trolley trains had been hijacked.

According to the arrest report, police said Jonathan Patrick Winslow of Big Torch Key — who indeed was celebrating his 57th birthday — left his Kia vehicle in the train depot's parking lot while it was still running "with rock music playing on the radio."

A train depot employee told police that Winslow claimed to have worked at the tourism business years ago and wanted to take a tour of the train, WPLG said, citing the arrest report.

However, the worker reportedly told officers that Winslow got into the trolley and drove away.

The employee was "confused" but allegedly told investigators that perhaps Winslow had received permission to drive the train. As you might imagine, that wasn't the case.

Tour company employees reportedly told police that GPS could track the train — and it turns out that it was on the move in downtown Key West.

The arrest report states Winslow picked up "two random passengers" while driving the trolley.

Police said officers were able to track down the stolen Conch Tour Train at the massively popular Southernmost Point Buoy tourist attraction and stop it before anything tragic occurred during the wild ride.

RELATED: Cheap hot dog sparks deadly dispute at nudist resort that ends in grisly deaths of elderly couple and dog: Police

The arrest report states that Winslow "exhibited rapid speech and appeared excited" while officers informed him that he would be arrested.

Police allegedly claimed Winslow told them that he merely "borrowed" the train. WPLG reported that Winslow told officers that he previously worked at the Conch Tour Train Depot; police said he stressed that "today is his birthday."

Winslow was arrested and transported to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Key West jail facility.

Authorities said a methamphetamine pipe was discovered in Winslow's pocket when a corrections deputy searched him at the jail, according to the arrest report.

Winslow allegedly asserted, "It's a weed pipe." However, investigators disagreed.

Winslow was charged with burglary, grand theft auto, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jail records show Winslow was being detained on a $60,000 bond.

RELATED: Man once tried to outrun police on a mule — now he's in jail for allegedly weaponizing a raccoon

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'My laptop is a bomb': Florida man's alleged mid-flight bomb threat forces emergency landing — now the FBI is involved



A Florida man — who allegedly told authorities that he was recently released from a mental health facility — made a bomb threat mid-flight that forced the commercial airliner to make an emergency landing, according to police.

At 1:48 p.m. on Sunday, Allegiant Air flight 1023 departed from Florida's St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport en route to the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in Virginia, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.

The suspect reportedly told investigators that he took his medication on Saturday night but had been 'suffering from a lack of clarity.'

Shortly after the plane lifted off, a passenger seated in the last row of the plane allegedly announced that he had a bomb in his laptop.

According to an FBI affidavit obtained by USA Today, the suspect — identified as 27-year-old Taj Malik Taylor from Largo, Florida — told the passenger next to him, "My laptop is a bomb."

When several passengers asked Taylor what he meant by his remark, he allegedly lifted his laptop case and kept reiterating that it was a bomb.

A passenger notified the flight crew about the alarming bomb threat.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, "On July 6, 2025, at approximately 2:03 p.m., deputies were alerted to a verbal bomb threat made by a passenger on Allegiant flight 1023, headed to Roanoke, Virginia."

According to police, "Detectives say several other witnesses on the plane also heard Taylor state that he had a bomb."

The commercial airliner was rerouted back to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and landed at 2:08 p.m.

An Allegiant Air spokesperson told USA Today, "Allegiant does not tolerate disruptive behavior of any kind, so the decision was made to return to the airport. The plane landed safely and was met by law enforcement officers, who took the passenger into custody."

The airline added, "We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our passengers and thank them for their patience."

K-9s with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office searched Taylor's belongings, but no bomb was found.

RELATED: 'If you challenge me, it will result in your death': Watch fists fly on Frontier flight as passenger gets pummeled

All of the other passengers and crew were also forced to exit the plane. The Allegiant Air flight didn't arrive in Virginia until 7:57 p.m. — roughly five hours later than scheduled.

Taylor was removed from the plane and interrogated by authorities.

"Taylor did not admit to making the bomb threats but stated that [the woman sitting next to him aboard the flight] was rude to him," the FBI affidavit said, according to Fox News.

"Taylor stated that he was recently released from a mental health facility," the affidavit reads.

The suspect reportedly told investigators that he took his medication on Saturday night but had been "suffering from a lack of clarity."

The affidavit accused Taylor of acting "willfully and maliciously with reckless disregard for the safety of human life."

Taylor was arrested and charged with making a false bomb threat. If convicted, Taylor faces a fine of up to $25,000, a prison sentence of up to five years, or both.

According to arrest records, Taylor was transferred into the custody of the U.S. Marshals on Monday.

The FBI is leading the investigation, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Taylor appeared for his initial hearing in Tampa federal court on Monday afternoon.

RELATED: 'Bodies all around me': How lone survivor in seat 11A of doomed Air India flight walked away from crash that killed 241

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!