A routine Animal Control stop on Twin Pines Court in Bartow turned into a full-blown criminal case on Friday, March 6, when a 50-year-old woman allegedly refused a littering citation, fought with deputies, and threatened to shoot them if they came into her home, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies identified the woman as Amanda Sexton. What started as a minor code enforcement issue ended with Sexton being taken into custody on a long list of felony and misdemeanor charges.
What Deputies Say Happened
According to a post by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, an Animal Control officer was initially at the Twin Pines Court home to issue a littering citation. Deputies say Sexton refused to accept the citation and became verbally confrontational.
The sheriff’s account states that Sexton removed and threw the citation at an officer, and that the encounter escalated when a PCSO deputy arrived to assist. As deputies attempted to detain her, Sexton allegedly kicked a deputy’s legs. Authorities further allege that during the confrontation she threatened to shoot any deputies who entered her residence.
In the social media post, Judd summed up the encounter by saying it “went from a simple citation to eight felonies and six misdemeanors.” The post serves as the primary public narrative of what deputies say took place at the scene.
Charges and Booking
Authorities charged Sexton with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, including:
- Battery on a law enforcement officer (third-degree felony)
- Two counts of threatening a public servant (third-degree felonies)
- Battery on a public employee (third-degree felony)
- Four counts of resisting with violence (third-degree felonies)
- Four counts of resisting without violence (first-degree misdemeanors)
- Misuse of 911 (first-degree misdemeanor)
- A littering citation
The sheriff’s post listed the counts but did not include a booking number or court date, and it was not immediately clear whether formal charges had been filed with the State Attorney.
Legal Context
Under Florida law, a third-degree felony can carry a statutory maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000, while a first-degree misdemeanor can carry up to one year in county jail, according to Florida statutes. Any actual sentence would depend on the state’s Criminal Punishment Code and prosecutorial decisions in the case.
As of Thursday, March 12, 2026, the sheriff’s social media post appears to be the only public account of the incident. We did not find independent local media reports or publicly available court filings with additional detail. Further information may emerge through public records or local coverage as the case moves through the system.
