Investigators say a Winter Garden police sergeant spent more than a month on edge while an Orlando man stalked and threatened him, firing off messages that escalated into violent bomb threats against the officer's workplace and a church connected to his family. The sergeant has not been publicly identified.
On Tuesday morning, 44-year-old Neil Olson was taken into custody outside his home by multiple law-enforcement agents. Video obtained by WFTV shows Olson on the ground in handcuffs. Neighbors told the station they were stunned. "He came off as a normal guy, to be honest with you," Luis Bentacourt said.
According to investigators, Olson allegedly referenced a 2011 officer-involved shooting and issued threats aimed at the Winter Garden Police Department and Calvary Chapel Orlando, where the officer's father is a pastor, WFTV reported.
What the law says
Florida defines stalking under Florida Statute 784.048. The law makes willful, malicious, repeated harassment a crime and says a "credible threat" can raise the charge to aggravated stalking, which is a third-degree felony. The statute also covers electronic communications and authorizes officers to arrest without a warrant when they have probable cause. Courts may issue long-term no-contact orders as part of sentencing or probation.
Affidavit and investigation
According to an affidavit described by WFTV, the sergeant received roughly 20 emails, along with several phone calls and voice messages from Olson, between June 3 and July 19. Investigators said Orange County deputies had previously responded this month for a wellness check but determined Olson did not meet the criteria for an involuntary mental-health hold under the state's Baker Act.
Olson faces charges of stalking and harassing a public official with the intent to affect lawful duty, and the case remains under investigation. Authorities have not yet released court documents with formal filing or bond information. Residents with information about the case are asked to contact Orange County law enforcement while the investigation continues.
