News and Investigations

On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, PCSO deputies arrested 20-year-old Marshall Hayes and 18-year-old Bellamia Sperandio, both of South New York Avenue in Lakeland, for the shooting of a 15-year-old Lake Wales boy that occurred on June 23rd. 

Hayes has been charged with attempted murder (F1), discharging a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a person (F2), tampering with evidence (F3), and conspiracy to sell marijuana (F3). Sperandio has been charged with an active warrant she had for threats to inflict serious bodily harm on a law enforcement officer, as well as accessory after the fact of a felony (F2), conspiracy to sell marijuana (F3), tampering with evidence (F3), and resisting arrest (M1).

The investigation began when the PCSO Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding shots fired in the area of Hampstead Place in Lake Wales. First responders located the victim, a 15-year-old male with gunshot wounds, and he was airlifted to a hospital, where he is in stable condition. 

During the investigation, deputies identified a possible suspect who had been communicating with the victim via Snapchat using the name "BellaMia0314." The two were discussing the sale of marijuana. She was positively identified as Sperandio. 

On June 23rd, Sperandio's boyfriend Marshall Hayes drove her to the victim's neighborhood to sell the victim 8 grams of marijuana. An altercation ensued, during which Hayes fired several shots at the victim, striking him two times. The loaded handgun was later found along the route that the suspects took while fleeing. Images of the suspect vehicle, which were captured on video surveillance systems nearby, were BOLOed and released to the public.

After positively identifying Sperandio, detectives responded to her home on South New York Avenue in Lakeland, and found the suspect vehicle parked in the driveway. They placed Sperandio under arrest for her warrant. She admitted to discussing selling marijuana to the victim, but denied being in the area when he was shot. Her criminal history includes prior arrests for battery on LEO, resisting arrest, battery, threats to harm a LEO, failure to appear, and probation violation.

Detectives placed Hayes under arrest, where he admitted to shooting the victim during the drug sale.

"There are still people out there calling the possession and sale of marijuana a 'low-level, non-violent crime.' Tell that to this 15-year-old child's mother. He is lucky to be alive. Hopefully he will fully recover, and the suspects who shot him will go to prison." - Grady Judd, Sheriff