Florida couple accused of stuffing billiard ball in tortured teen mom's mouth, suffocating her, ditching her dismembered body



A Florida couple allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered a teen mom, according to authorities.

Miranda Corsette — a 16-year-old mother to an 11-month-old baby — allegedly met 35-year-old Steven Gress on a dating app, then went to his St. Petersburg residence on Valentine's Day.

Gress and Brandes 'held the victim against her will for more than seven days and tortured her by repeatedly beating the victim and eventually stuffing a billiard ball into her mouth and wrapping her face with plastic wrap, causing her to suffocate.'

Corsette is said to have returned to her grandmother's home in Gulfport the next day — but soon after that day went back to Gress' house. Police said Corsette remained there for days with Gress and his domestic partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandes.

Corsette's grandmother on Feb. 24 reported her missing to the Gulfport Police Department. Corsette was homeschooled and lived with her grandmother because Corsette's parents are deceased, St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway stated during a press conference.

"We are very familiar with Miranda," said Commander Mary Farrand, who is also Gulfport's acting police chief. "She is a frequent runaway, and she has a history of mental health issues as well as drug abuse. The grandmother is her primary caregiver at this time."

Farrand explained that the grandmother — who didn't report Corsette missing for several days — said her granddaughter "normally comes home," and the grandmother said "she doesn’t report her missing every time she leaves. She just didn’t come back in a timely manner this time."

On March 6, a witness contacted police with a tip about a possible kidnapping and murder of a missing teen, and detectives determined Corsette was the missing teen referred to in the tip.

On Feb. 20, Brandes and Gress accused the teen mother of stealing a ring, according to the arrest affidavit.

Chief Holloway said the couple beat and tortured Corsette because they couldn't find the ring.

The Tampa Bay Times, citing the affidavit, reported that Gress and Brandes "held the victim against her will for more than seven days and tortured her by repeatedly beating the victim and eventually stuffing a billiard ball into her mouth and wrapping her face with plastic wrap, causing her to suffocate."

The St. Petersburg Police Department said of Corsette in a statement, "Sometime between February 20th and February 24th, she was killed."

Police said Gress put Corsette’s body in his car and drove to a home in nearby Largo; detectives found evidence that Corsette was dismembered there.

Chief Holloway said Brandes' mother owns the Largo home .

Police said Gress and Brandes drove about 50 miles to ditch the body in a dumpster in Ruskin.

Detectives located the dumpster but have yet to find the teen girl's remains. On Friday, police said they believe her remains likely are in a landfill.

Gress already was in jail for unrelated charges when the accusations about Corsette came to light.

On March 6, Gress was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, records show. Police said Gress pointed a harpoon at Brandes.

In the missing teen case, Gress was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping.

Gress was being held at the Pinellas County Jail without bail.

An assistant public defender has been appointed to represent him and has entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf, according to court records.

Brandes turned herself in to police Saturday morning. She is charged with first-degree murder in connection with Corsette's death.

The St. Petersburg Police Department noted, "This is still a very active investigation, and more charges are expected."

Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780.

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Florida man accused of stabbing pro-Trump friend to death with trowel found not guilty of murder



A Florida man accused of stabbing his pro-Trump friend to death with a trowel at a construction site has been found not guilty of murder.

During a non-jury trial at an Orange County court last month, 34-year-old Mason Trever Toney was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, according to WKMG-TV.

'There was something wrong with Mason.'

As Blaze News reported in January 2020, Toney was arrested for the murder of his friend and his boss — 28-year-old William Knight.

Citing the arrest warrant, WESH-TV reported that police officers arrived at the crime scene to find Knight’s body next to an excavator with an American flag nearby.

Witnesses told investigators that Knight is a “proud and outspoken American,” who was “pro-Donald Trump.”

Toney was reportedly described by witnesses as having anti-government sentiments and believed “the government is bad and out to get him.”

According to court documents, witnesses said Knight picked up Toney to drive him to another construction site when an argument about politics, including Knight’s support for President Donald Trump, erupted.

The argument allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation. Witnesses purportedly attempted to stop the attack and threw things at Toney.

Toney is accused of stabbing Knight to death with a construction trowel. Toney reportedly jumped into a truck and drove away while calling the witnesses “terrorists.”

Knight succumbed to his injuries at the crime scene on Jan. 20, 2020.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office noted that Toney was apprehended in Brevard County on the same day in the truck and charged with murder.

Williams Knight Sr. — the victim's father — told WKMG-TV in 2020, "The gentleman, Mason, he was a friend of the family for years."

The father said his son had recently been promoted to a construction site foreman before his death, and he hired Mason. The deeply distraught mother said she warned her son not to hire his childhood friend because he had been acting strangely.

Julia Knight — the victim's mother — said of a possible motive for her son's death, "I don't know. I can't explain what happened to my son. I don't understand. I never thought Mason would do this to my son."

Julie Knight added, "But it wasn't about politics, I can tell you right now."

"There was something wrong with Mason," she said.

A review hearing is scheduled for Aug. 11.

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Disturbing video shows apparent road-rage shooting at busy Florida intersection; male suspect faces murder charges



A Florida male and female have been arrested in connection with an apparent road-rage shooting in the middle of a busy intersection that left one dead and another in critical condition. The shooting was caught on video.

Around 4:17 p.m. Sunday, police dispatchers began receiving calls regarding a shooting at a busy intersection in Panama City.

Officers near the shooting began chasing the fleeing pickup truck.

An Instagram account titled "Bay County Bad Drivers" uploaded video of the shooting.

Video shows a red GMC Terrain SUV stopped at a red light with a gray Dodge Ram pickup truck directly behind it. Two males are seen standing outside the SUV before returning inside the vehicle.

When the light turns green, the trailing pickup truck aggressively accelerates to the left and whips next to the driver's side of the SUV. It appears that the pickup truck passenger's hand emerges from the truck's open window, and about a dozen gunshots are heard. The SUV comes to a stop in the middle of the intersection.

Police said the pickup truck attempted to flee the crime scene. Officers near the shooting began chasing the fleeing pickup truck.

Panama City Police said in a press release: "They pursued the suspect vehicle north on Hwy 231, while other officers responded to the scene."

WMBB-TV reported that during the chase, the pickup truck collided with a police car on an access road between a Mexican restaurant and a Holiday Inn.

Police arrested two suspects from the pickup truck roughly a mile from the shooting scene.

Panama City Police said two people in the red SUV were shot. One victim died soon after arriving at a local hospital. The other shooting victim was in critical condition.

The shooting victims' identities have yet to be released because the incident is an active homicide investigation, and next of kin are being notified.

Police arrested Jubal Simmons and Ivybella Encino, the New York Post said.

Simmons — the suspected shooter, the Post said — is facing a number of charges, including first-degree premeditated homicide-murder, three counts of first-degree attempted premeditated homicide-murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, destroying or altering evidence, and resisting an officer without violence, according to police records.

Encino was hit with charges of first-degree accessory to a crime, fleeing or eluding police, and aggravated assault on an officer, records also say.

Simmons is being held without bond. Encino is being held on a $850,500 bond.

Panama City Police said they are "grateful to all the witnesses who came forward with information and evidence in this case."

The PCPD urged anyone with additional information on the shooting to contact Panama City Police at 850-872-3100 or phone in a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 850-785-TIPS (8477).

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Florida Democratic Party official possessed child porn, tried to set up date to sexually assault 9-year-old boy: Feds



A Florida Democratic Party official possessed child pornography, sent the illicit content to an undercover cop, and attempted to set up a date to sexually assault a 9-year-old boy, according to federal prosecutors.

Matthew Inman, of Orlando, was arrested by U.S. Marshalls and charged with transportation of child sex abuse material. If convicted, Inman faces a minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

'We offer our condolences to any victims of child sexual abuse and hope justice will be served to the fullest extent of the law.'

He is currently being held in the Seminole County jail with no bond.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, "Inman received and saved several videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to his phone. These videos depicted adults sexually assaulting young children."

In October 2024, Inman traveled to Las Vegas and began talking online with the alleged father of a 9-year-old boy. However, authorities said the supposed father was actually an undercover cop cracking down on pedophiles.

The feds say Inman shared child porn with the undercover cop.

According to an affidavit, Inman used an app called Sniffies — a self-described "modern, map-based meetup app for gay, bi, and curious cruisers."

Inman's alleged Sniffies account name, @Daddy4b, reportedly sent an undercover police agent child porn depicting adult men raping prepubescent children.

The @Daddy4b account reportedly told the undercover cop of the age of his sexual partners, "Mostly have f***ed teens since that is what you can more easily find."

The @Daddy4b account's profile section said the user is "looking for" a "twink, trans, son."

Federal prosecutors also accused Inman of expressing interest in meeting and sexually assaulting the 9-year-old boy.

The FBI obtained a search warrant for Inman’s electronic devices and home. During the execution of the search warrant, Inman reportedly hid in the attic of his house and attempted to delete the damning evidence from his phone.

The case is being prosecuted by assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

Inman served as Orange County’s Democratic Party treasurer and the president of Rainbow Democrats — a nonprofit with a mission to “foster goodwill between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and allied members of the Democratic Party and the community at large."

The Orange County Democratic Party said in a statement that members were “appalled” by the allegations and have suspended him.

“We are deeply appalled and horrified by the news that Matthew Inman has been arrested on charges of sexual abuse involving a minor,” the Democratic group said. “We unequivocally condemn child sexual abuse in the strongest possible terms and hope that any victims involved receive the support and resources they need moving forward.”

The Rainbow Democrats said they were “shocked” to hear the accusations against their former president.

“We offer our condolences to any victims of child sexual abuse and hope justice will be served to the fullest extent of the law,” the group said in a statement.

"He has no acting role in any capacity with the organization as of now," the group added.

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Police body cam video: Florida cop fired after she shot man with his own gun during routine traffic stop



Newly-released body cam video shows the moment when a Jacksonville police officer shot a Florida man during a routine traffic stop. The cop was charged and reportedly terminated after the accidental shooting.

On Dec. 13, 2024, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office police officer S. Lowry conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Jason Arrington. The officer accused Arrington of driving through a red light, and Arrington disagreed.

'Holy s**t!'

Body cam video shows Arrington being compliant during the traffic stop and informing Officer Lowry that he was armed with a gun.

"So what we're gonna do is — just for my safety and your safety — I'm gonna have you step out of the vehicle," the officer instructs Arrington. "And we're just gonna remove the pistol from you."

The officer continued, "Then we're gonna run your license and make sure everything is good, and then I'm gonna send you on your way."

Officer Lowry informs two other officers at the scene that the driver is "very compliant" and "he does have a pistol on him."

Police body cam video shows Arrington exiting the vehicle and then placing his hands on the roof of his truck.

Officer Mindy Cardwell is seen on police body cam video attempting to extract the gun holstered in Arrington's waistband.

"She tugged on the gun the first time, then she tugged again," Arrington explained before adding, "I don't know, she might have got nervous or whatever, and she pulled harder two more times, and that's when it discharged."

Suddenly, a gunshot is heard in the video, and Arrington is seen slumping down in pain.

Lowry can be heard screaming, "Holy s**t!"

'Gun owners in this state should be able to carry their firearms without the fear of an officer pulling them over on the side of the road, then voluntarily disclosing they’re carrying a firearm, then being shot with their own weapon.'

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said in a statement, "While Officer Cardwell was attempting to remove the firearm, it discharged, striking Mr. Arrington in the leg."

The bullet hit Arrington in the upper thigh and went through his right side.

Body cam video shows Officer Caldwell's finger on the trigger of Arrington's handgun as she removes it from his waistband.

Within seconds, blood is seen flowing down Arrington's leg, and he needs assistance from an officer to walk. Officer A. Weippert applies a tourniquet to Arrington's leg, and Arrington is seen grimacing in pain. The officer then cuts the pants off Arrington's leg to locate the gunshot wound.

Following the police shooting, Officer Lowry is heard whispering to himself: "Goddamn."

Lowry also is heard telling dispatch that the police shooting was a "negligent discharge."

In a late-December press conference, Arrington announced that he planned to sue over the officer-involved shooting.

“It messed with me as far as me working and stuff,” Arrington said. "Certain things in my job I can’t do no more, perform, like getting up on equipment and stuff, you know, different things."

"I have to get on top of trains and unload stuff, forklift, crane, whatever I have to do at my job. It’s kind of hard for me to do it. I can do it, but it’s challenging, like real bad," Arrington stated.

Arrington's attorney — Kay Harper Williams — stated, "Gun owners in this state should be able to carry their firearms without the fear of an officer pulling them over on the side of the road, then voluntarily disclosing they’re carrying a firearm, then being shot with their own weapon."

Williams said she believes Officer Caldwell "was not properly trained" and "certainly did not follow proper protocol."

Weeks after the incident, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released a memo spotlighting how police should conduct stops involving a citizen legally carrying a concealed firearm.

"The burden of proving an individual is not eligible to carry a concealed firearm falls on the investigating officer and is not an automatic presumption," the memo reads. "Unless an officer has articulable suspicion that the detained person presents a threat to the safety of citizens or officers or has knowledge that the detained person is ineligible to carry a concealed firearm, officers should not seize a firearm (i.e. remove it from holster, vehicle, pocket, bag, etc.) from someone lawfully carrying it."

Internal Affairs launched an investigation, and Cardwell was hit with a sustained charge of incompetence.

CBS News on Wednesday reported that Caldwell had been fired.

A week after the traffic stop, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office dismissed the traffic citation against Arrington.

You can watch police body cam footage from all three of the officers involved in the shooting incident at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's official Facebook page, but it should be noted that the video is graphic.

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Sadistic doctor coerced 10 children to 'cut, choke, and hang themselves'; 13-year-old girl found dead: Feds



A Florida man is accused of several child sex crimes, including producing child pornography and coercing approximately 10 children across the country to "cut, choke, and hang themselves," according to federal prosecutors. One of the alleged child sex abuse victims — a 13-year-old girl — was found dead after allegedly communicating with the suspect.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement that 59-year-old Stephen Andrew Leedy of St. Petersburg was indicted on December 20 and charged with three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. If found guilty on all counts, Leedy faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

'Leedy very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately ten minor victims across the country.'

Court documents said Leedy is a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area. He allegedly used the online username “maximumuncle#9112” to "sexually exploit and victimize approximately ten minors online."

Federal prosecutors said Leedy contacted the minors online and instructed the children to "produce sexually explicit images of themselves and directed them to cut, choke, and hang themselves."

In November 2021, one alleged victim — the 13-year-old girl — was found dead after reportedly hanging herself in front of her phone "in a manner consistent with instructions Leedy had previously provided her," according to court documents.

A search of the girl’s cellphone revealed messages between her and the online account with the username "maximumuncle#9112."

Federal prosecutors said Leedy never revealed his true identity and "maintained a black screen to further conceal his identity" during video chats.

“Through social media conversations and investigative means, law enforcement confirmed Leedy’s ownership over the account used to encourage minors to engage in sadistic and sexual behavior,” prosecutors wrote. “Minor victims have been interviewed, identified themselves within conversations, and confirmed the horrific acts Leedy instructed them to do. Leedy very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately ten minor victims across the country.”

“The nature and circumstances of the offenses charged are extremely serious,” prosecutors said in their motion for detention, according to Law & Crime. “Leedy directed the three minor victims named in the indictment, along with approximately seven additional minor victims, to produce child pornography while on video calls with him to satisfy his own sexual deviant interest in children. The conversations continually revolved around his control over the minor victim, commenting on how ‘obedient’ they are, and asking at least one minor victim to refer to him as 'my Lord.'"

"Everything that Leedy instructed these minor victims to do was either physically or mentally detrimental to the minor victims," prosecutors said.

Leedy's defense attorneys, Bjorn Brunvand and Lucas Fleming, told the Tampa Bay Times that their client "adamantly denies the charges that have been filed against him in federal court."

"It is particularly important in moments like this when someone is being accused of very troubling allegations, that we afford him the presumption of innocence,” the attorneys said in a statement. "We will be entering a not guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and look forward to vigorously defending Dr. Leedy in court."

Leedy's wife, Lynda Leedy, reportedly has been a chief administrative officer on the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County for 10 years.

"The arrest and allegations came as a complete shock to all, including his wife,” the board said in a statement.

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Shocking video shows 6-year-old boy allegedly being kidnapped. Then family members take matters into their own hands.



A 56-year-old male was caught on video allegedly luring a 6-year-old boy away from his Florida home in broad daylight with the promise of a toy, according to reports. But the alleged kidnapper reportedly received his comeuppance from the boy's brother and cousin.

The Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement that Jose Reynaldo Martinez Reyes approached the boy around 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Surveillance video obtained by WTVJ-TV shows the male playing soccer with the boy outside the boy's home.

'His older brother came in, pushed him and punched him just to get his brother back, put him in the car.'

Police said Martinez Reyes "lured" the boy away from the Northwest Miami residence on foot with the promise of purchasing him a toy.

"The guy came over to me and said, 'Do you wanna come with me?' And I said sure," 6-year-old Jake Rivera told WTVJ.

The young boy had been playing soccer with his older brother in front of their home, but the 15-year-old brother went inside to use the bathroom. When the older brother returned and quickly realized the boy was missing, he immediately notified his adult cousin.

"I was sleeping and my cousin woke me up and said my little cousin was abducted by a man," said Alfredo Velasquez, the boy's cousin.

Police stated, "Upon noticing that the victim was missing, his brother and an adult family friend began frantically searching for him. The pair located the victim and subject over a mile away from the residence, walking along the roadway hand in hand."

Velasquez said there was a physical confrontation with the alleged kidnapper.

"His older brother came in, pushed him and punched him just to get his brother back, put him in the car," Velasquez told WTVJ.

The child was removed from the alleged kidnapper and placed in a waiting car. Police arrived at the scene to find a civilian detaining Martinez Reyes.

During their investigation, detectives determined Martinez Reyes had no familial ties to the boy. Martinez Reyes was arrested and hit with charges of kidnapping and interference with custody.

Police are urging anyone with any information regarding the suspect or incident to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

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How a suspected murderer impregnated an alleged killer in prison without ever touching her: 'I can't believe it worked'



A Florida man accused of murder impregnated a female alleged killer while they were in prison — but the pair never touched each other.

Daisy Link, 29, is charged with second-degree murder after she allegedly killed her husband in 2022.

'Not gonna lie, this is gonna go down in history.'

Joan Depaz, 23, was arrested in October 2020. According to prison records, he's charged with first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, battery, and criminal mischief.

The two inmates say they communicated with each other through the air conditioning vents in their prison cells.

"You would knock on it, and you can hear the people from the different floors. You would stand on the toilet actually to be able to talk to them," Link told WSVN-TV. "Being in isolation for so long, you begin to spend hours and hours talking to this person, you know, to the point where it’s almost as if you’re in the same room with them."

Link said she and Depaz would pass notes and pictures through the A/C vents.

Eventually they developed a romantic relationship despite never meeting each other.

Depaz had a dream of being a father, but it didn't seem possible since he was facing a lengthy prison sentence if convicted for his alleged crimes.

"I always really wanted to have a baby. And I’m not gonna get to do that for a really long time," Depaz said. He then told Link, "So if I had to choose somebody, you know, it would be you. And she was like, ‘Yeah, we could do that.’”

Depaz devised a plan to make his dream come true.

"I told her a way that one of my friends had showed me through the vent," he explained. "Because the vents are like [an] L-shape, really. It drops right into my vent, from her room, she could throw a pen into the vent, and it’ll land right into my vent.”

Link added, "We had figured out a way to drop the line. It was a line that we had established out of like bedding material."

Depaz said he put semen in plastic wrap "every day like five times a day for like a month straight."

Link recalled, "He would kind of like roll it up, almost like a cigarette, and he would attach it to the line that we had in the vent, and I would pull it through." She said she placed that in a yeast infection applicator and "administered it."

Link stated, "I don’t know what my fate is, you kind of don’t know what’s yours. If we’re gonna go out, might as well just go out with a bang, you know? If it works, it works. But it definitely did."

Link said she got pregnant after just a few attempts, and that she was "very excited" and "ecstatic."

WSVN asked Dr. Fernando Akerman — a fertility specialist and the medical director of the Fertility Center of Miami — if a woman could get pregnant through the method the inmates alleged. Akerman said it's possible but noted that the chances are less than 5%.

On June 19, Link gave birth to a baby at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

The baby is now living with Depaz's mother.

“I can’t believe it worked," Link stated. "I think everything happened for a reason."

“She’s a miracle baby, she’s a blessing,” Link said. “She could be anything. I think that she’s gonna be something great.”

DNA results show Depaz is the father.

When Depaz was asked if he ever had any physical encounters with Link, he said "never."

The pair are now being detained in different jails while they await their trials: Depaz is housed at the Metro West Detention Center; Link is at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. They still talk on the phone and see their daughter during video visits.

"Over here I’m like a celebrity," Depaz excitedly exclaimed. "Not gonna lie, this is gonna go down in history."

The Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department has launched an internal affairs investigation to determine how this could have happened without authorities knowing.

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Parents attack female middle school deputy, steal her taser, bodycam video shows. Sheriff reacts with profanity-laced tirade.



A Florida man and his wife were arrested Tuesday after they attacked a female school resource deputy, authorities said, citing police bodycam footage.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that two parents — 46-year-old Jorge Rivera and 45-year-old Dagmarie Aponte Iturrino — assaulted the deputy at Deltona Middle School on Tuesday morning.

'To be clear, the only piece of s**t in that video is the mother and father. They're the pieces of s**t.'

The confrontation purportedly stemmed from the couple's 11-year-old son getting into a physical altercation with a girl. The parents went to the school to protest a battery charge against their son that resulted in a civil citation, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood told WESH-TV.

According to the bodycam video, the parents confronted the school resource deputy for accusing their son of being the "primary aggressor" in the incident with the girl.

Video shows Rivera responding, "You failed a kid. You’re failing kids right here. We’re not talking about us because believe me, if it were about the adults we could solve this a whole different level. We are talking about kids."

A visibly agitated Rivera told the school resource deputy, "Why are you so worthless? Do you feel proud that you are this worthless, lady? Shut the f*** up because I pay your salary, you dumb b***h!"

"You are a worthless piece of s**t," Rivera told the female law enforcement officer.

The wife unsuccessfully attempted to get her husband to calm down.

Deputy Julia Curtin asked the parents to leave her office at the school.

Rivera is seen on bodycam video in a school hallway putting his hand in the deputy's face.

Suddenly, Iturrino is seen physically confronting the officer, and video shows Rivera jumping into the fracas.

The officer draws her taser, but Rivera apparently punches the deputy in the head, knocking her to the ground. He then rips the deputy's taser from her hand.

A school employee tries to stop Rivera from using the taser.

Deputy Curtin draws her gun and yells: "Put it down right f***ing now! Put your hands behind your f***ing back now!"

Rivera is seen dropping the taser, and the deputy arrests Rivera and Iturrino.

According to jail records, both parents were charged with resisting arrest with violence, trespass on school property after warning, and disputing a school function. Rivera was hit with charges of grand theft, battery on a law enforcement officer, and assault or battery on specified officials or employees.

Iturrino bonded out of jail Tuesday night, WESH-TV reported. In an ironic twist, Iturrino is a pre-K teacher at Spirit Elementary School in Deltona, according to the school's website. WESH said she's been suspended.

Rivera appeared before a judge Wednesday, WESH said, adding that his bail was set at $42,000.

Chitwood blasted the parents in a profanity-laced press conference Wednesday.

'In training, if you lose your taser, you automatically transition to your firearm. If you take a deputy’s taser, you can almost expect to get shot.'

Chitwood claimed the parents' son "bullied and shoved a little girl." He said that the parents were questioning the deputy as to why the girl had not been disciplined in the altercation.

The sheriff played the video clip of Rivera calling the deputy a "worthless piece of s**t."

Chitwood lambasted the parents, "To be clear, the only piece of s**t in that video is the mother and father. They're the pieces of s**t."

He continued, "They attacked my deputy; she suffered a concussion."

Chitwood declared that Iturrino "deserves to be fired" from her teaching job for her role in the alleged assault of the deputy.

"I'm not gonna have pieces of s**t like that come in and attack a deputy doing their job and not expect that they're not going to be held accountable for that," Chitwood proclaimed.

The sheriff noted, "To say I’m furious is beyond. There's no reason I got a deputy home with a concussion for something so goddamn trivial." He said the deputy will be on bed rest for four days, WESH reported.

Chitwood pointed out, "In training, if you lose your taser, you automatically transition to your firearm. If you take a deputy’s taser, you can almost expect to get shot. ... Thank God that’s not what happened in these close grounds."

What's more, Chitwood said the battery charge for the couple's son was not a criminal charge but a civil citation, according to WESH.

"You go before the judge," Chitwood said, according to WESH. "The judge looks at the evidence, and then a judge would impose sanctions, whether it's counseling, community service, whatever it is, and then the whole thing goes away."

Content warning: Language:

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Multi-millionaire hired numerous hitmen in murder-for-hire plots against wife — then killed himself as cops closed in: FBI



A prominent south Florida developer hired numerous hitmen to kill his wife of 32 years, according to the FBI. The multi-millionaire reportedly killed himself just as law enforcement officials were closing in on him.

The FBI said they have recorded phone calls that have incriminated several suspects accused of traumatizing Tatiana Pino — the estranged wife of Sergio Pino.

Investigators believe the motive for the husband's alleged murder-for-hire plot was because his wife rejected his divorce settlement offer of $20 million.

On June 23, a male allegedly pointed a gun at Pino's daughter — 26-year-old Alessandra Pino. The daughter reportedly told a 911 operator, "Oh my gosh. My mom is here. They might have shot her."

Pinecrest Police Department Chief Jason Cohen told Fox News, "[Tatiana] came home from her morning errands, and as she pulled in the driveway, this person pulled up, got out of the car with a firearm. Her daughter actually came out of the house and kind of went face to face with this gunman who clearly wasn't there for the daughter because he, from what I understand, he had the ability to shoot her if he wanted to, and he didn't."

Cohen added, "The guy ended up fleeing because our officers started responding, and he was not able to do what we believe he was there to do that day. We think he was there to likely take her life, Tatiana's life at that point."

A year earlier, someone slammed a rented Home Depot truck into an SUV that Tatiana was driving — in the same driveway where the gun threat took place.

Cohen explained, "She came home from being out, and when she pulled into her driveway, there was a Home Depot flatbed rental truck that was sitting on the street waiting for her. And as she pulled in, it kind of rammed her vehicle and took off."

"It was brought to our attention that this incident here was likely much more than just somebody crashing into her while she's coming home," Cohen stated. "We were made aware of a lot of the background of what had been going on with Mrs. Pino, the accusations of her being poisoned or drugged by potentially her soon-to-be ex-husband … it started to make sense that this was just another piece in that big puzzle."

Tatiana filed for divorce in April 2022.

The murder-for-hire plot to kill Tatiana reportedly began as early as July 2022.

'Now you can’t shake the rap. Your two boys now, or whoever the f*** they are, they can shake the rap.'

U.S. attorney Markenzy Lapointe said hitmen even "obtained fentanyl to assist Sergio Pino in his effort to kill his wife."

"Mrs. Pino had to die before their next divorce proceedings," Lapointe said.

The FBI investigated the case and zeroed in on Sergio Pino.

On July 16, the FBI conducted a search and arrest operation at the Pinos' $8 million waterfront Coral Gables home, but Pino allegedly committed suicide just as law enforcement officials were closing in on him.

The FBI said in a press release that "Sergio Pino was discovered by the FBI inside the residence deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."

Sam Rabin, Pino’s criminal defense attorney, stated that "Sergio Pino took his own life today. The level of law enforcement activity at his residence was unprecedented and unnecessary, especially since we had offered to surrender him, should that have become necessary. Today’s events mark a very tragic ending to an investigation that we were confident we could successfully defend. There were many rumors and allegations, but what was lacking was evidence."

Pino's alleged suicide ended the criminal case against him, but police have been scrutinizing other suspects.

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced in a July 31 news release that suspects have been charged and indicted for their "respective involvement in a campaign to stalk, torment, and attempt to kill" Tatiana Pino, including Bayron Bennett, 33; Fausto Villar, 42; Avery Bivins, 36; Clementa Johnson, 47; Diori Barnard, 47; Jerren Keith Howard, 38; Michael Jose Dulfo, 42; and Edner Etienne 27. If convicted, the suspects would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The FBI said it has recorded phone calls between Villar and Bivins. Both served time in Florida state prison — Bivins for attempted felony murder and armed robbery and Villar for armed robbery.

“It’s going to be good, everything gonna be straight,” Bivins allegedly told Villar.

“Straight. But the f***ing smoke has to clear,” Villar replied. “Everything has to clear, smoke has to clear. So with what you got, try to fend off.”

“It’s going to be good, everything gonna be straight,” Bivins tells him.

“When this b**** gets over and done with, know this — we’re all good, you know what I’m saying?” Villar allegedly told Bivins. “Everything is going to be good.”

After members of Bivins' crew was arrested, Villar became worried about law enforcement cracking down on them.

“Why would you, if you get pinched, they’re going to have, this becomes now a conspiracy,” Villar reportedly told Bivins. “Now you can’t shake the rap. Your two boys now, or whoever the f*** they are, they can shake the rap.”

Villar advised Bivins to delete his social media accounts.

The FBI said Bivins agreed to a deal of $150,000 from Villar to murder Tatiana and had already paid him $75,000. Reportedly, there was a $150,000 bonus in the offing if the act were to have been carried out without law enforcement detection.

Cohen said of the case, "I've been in law enforcement for 27 years, and something like this ... it seemed like something out of a Hollywood movie, but this was unfortunately real life."

Investigators believe the motive for the husband's alleged murder-for-hire plot was because his wife rejected his divorce settlement offer of $20 million. Financial statements revealed in the couple's divorce case showed the pair's 2022 net worth at more than $153 million and as much as $359 million.

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