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.

Apr 27, 2020

PCSO arrests 13 at Frostproof cock-fighting event

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

Twelve men and one woman were arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, April 25, 2020 at a cock-fighting event in Frostproof. Deputies had been tipped-off regarding a large crowd attending a possible cock-fight event at 1940 West Frostproof Road, and when they arrived, they found wounded and bloody roosters, a fighting ring, acrylic spurs, and scales.

Detectives from the PCSO Agriculture Crimes Unit obtained a search warrant for the property which led them to additional evidence that the illegal sport had been operating there, such as: sparring gloves with spurs, vitamins, antibiotics, performance-enhancing drugs, and blood-clotting ointments.

The residents of the property, Jorge Luis Ocasio-Montanez and Carmen Idalia Rivera-Rodriguez, both 56, were determined to be the owners of the roosters. They were each charged with Owning Equipment for Animal Fighting (F3), Promoting Animal Fights (F3), Owning Animals for Fighting (F3), and Operating a Property for Animal Fighting (F3).

“We appreciate the tip we received about this cock-fighting event. Keeping and fighting these animals for the purpose of gaming and profit will not be tolerated. It’s extremely violent and cruel to the birds. I’m glad we were able to shut this down.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.

The other eleven men who were arrested were charged with Attending the Fighting of Animals (F3). They were identified as: Samuel Rosario-Maisonet (18, Sebring), Ramon Rivera-Ortiz (71, Avon Park), Eleazar Jimenez-Laporte (44, Avon Park), Paulino Adelso Borgen-De Jesus (56, Orlando), Victor Manuel Montes-Maldonado (39, Sebring), Wilfredo Rivera-Herrera (61, Sebring), Jose Guadalupe Martinez-Martinez (38, Avon Park), Leasiv N. Pantoja (38. Frostproof), Rafael Marquez-Baez (56, Kissimmee), Johnathan Ernesto Colon-Portilatin (25, Kissimmee), and Jose Angel Garcia-Baez (52, Kissimmee).

All thirteen were transported to the Polk County Jail in Bartow.