Federal prosecutors say a North Fort Myers man pleaded guilty after deputies found more than 50 firearms — some visible from the street — and hundreds of rounds. The case is now on the Middle District of Florida docket with a reported sentencing date in late May.

Manatee County deputies found a woman and two children dead inside a Lakewood Ranch home during a welfare check; detectives are processing the scene.

A third suspect has been arrested in the Riverview killing of Hiojaira Velez-Bonilla; authorities say he helped move and dispose of her body.

Deputies say a Riverview man used 100+ manipulated self‑checkout scans at Winn‑Dixie stores, siphoning nearly $10,000 over eight months; he’s now jailed on felony charges.

Two 16-year-olds were arrested after a stolen-vehicle chase in Tampa ended when the car crashed into a fence. HCSO says aviation units helped locate and arrest the suspects.

Clearwater police say two suspects used fraudulent credit-card information to buy four puppies from Sunshine Puppies Two, leaving the shop more than $11,000 short.

Hillsborough County is rolling out Axon Draft One to draft first-pass narratives from body-camera audio for non-criminal calls. Civil-rights groups warn the tool could complicate transparency and oversight.

Three of the five defendants in the 2024 ambush killing of rapper Julio Foolio asked a judge this week to be tried separately, citing publicity and conflicting defenses.

A Leto High teacher was arrested after detectives say he kissed a 17‑year‑old and showed an obscene photo. Authorities say he now faces multiple felony counts.

Federal prosecutors say a Palmetto man has been charged with illegally disposing of a body, but the announcement offers few details.

Residents say mailed checks in Lakewood Ranch were stolen and chemically altered; postal inspectors and Manatee deputies are investigating. Banks have flagged suspicious deposits and some money was recovered.

An internal command review board found a St. Petersburg officer guilty of sharing protected police records with a suspect in the Seminole Hard Rock explosives probe; the officer has resigned. The case remains under criminal and administrative review.

The sheriff’s office says reported crime fell 19.7% in 2025, with large drops in vehicle theft, robbery and violent crime. Local measures and staffing shifts are cited as possible factors.