A month-long undercover drug sweep in Polk County wrapped on Thursday, May 28, 2026, with five people in custody, and deputies say one of them managed to sell drugs to an undercover detective while strapped into a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor. Investigators say the probe pulled in suspects from several small cities that orbit the Lakeland area.
Undercover sweep spanned six cities
Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office kicked off the operation on April 30, arranging undercover buys in Haines City, Lake Wales, Davenport, Lakeland, Auburndale and Winter Haven. Over the course of the month, investigators identified seven suspects, arrested five and obtained active warrants for two who remain at large. The cases include allegations of drug sales near churches and other spots that carry enhanced penalties under state law, according to the Tampa Free Press.
Ankle monitor no match, sheriff says
Among those arrested was 23-year-old Donovan Roserie of Lakeland, who detectives say was on probation for burglary and grand theft when he allegedly sold drugs to an undercover detective while wearing a court-ordered ankle monitor. When deputies searched his apartment, they reported finding a long gun, ammunition and packaged marijuana. “Drug dealers who think they can hide in neighborhoods and sell poison in our community are making very bad decisions,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said as investigators laid out the details of the sting, according to the Tampa Free Press.
Who was booked and who’s still sought
Others arrested in the sweep were identified as Darwin Outsey Jr. of Haines City, Arnold McFarlane and Tiffany Marie Morrison of Lakeland, and Demetrius Tyrone Jackson, authorities said. Detectives are still trying to track down two men with active warrants, Jacob Esau Jackson IV and Jacquez Gamble, and are asking anyone with information on their whereabouts to contact investigators.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office is asking tipsters with non-emergency information to call 863-298-6200 or email [email protected], according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
What the law says about drug-free zones
Several of the counts listed by investigators allege drug sales “within 1,000 feet” of churches. Under Florida law, it is illegal to sell or possess with intent to sell a controlled substance in, on or within 1,000 feet of certain protected locations, including a physical place of worship. That designation is meant to create drug-free zones and can sharply increase the severity of distribution charges. The full statutory language is available in the Florida Statutes.
Anyone who recognizes Jacob Esau Jackson IV or Jacquez Gamble, or who has information about the locations tied to this investigation, is urged to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863-298-6200 or submit an anonymous tip to Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-888-400-TIPS. Detectives told reporters that community tips frequently kick off narcotics probes and asked callers to share details such as addresses, vehicle descriptions and times of day when they see suspected activity. Contact information and online tip options are listed on the Polk County Sheriff's Office contact page, per the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
