Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience storeWINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
Credit: WINK News. We’ve seen big gang roundups in Southwest Florida in the past. Most recently, we covered the takedown of the Lake Boyz in Fort Myers. We decided to look back at what’s happened since the 21 arrests that were made back in January 2017. It’s a mixed bag of results: Some found guilty; one off the hook completely for charges faced; and 13 still need to face a jury. Thursday, State Attorney Amira Fox of the 20th Judicial Circuit told us she is confident in the cases going to trial this year. “This group has tormented the good citizens of the Harlem Lakes neighborhood for years,” Fox said. Fox was chief assistant state attorney when the 21 arrests were made two years ago. “Any crime committed while you’re a member of a criminal enterprise can qualify you for a racketeering charge, which … can carry a much more significant sentence,” Fox said. The legal process proved to be anything but clear cut. Year to date, juries have found four accused members not guilty and two accused members guilty of racketeering charges related to Lake Boyz activity and affiliation. “When you do an investigation, working with the state attorney’s office by the time an arrest is made, you’ve already built your case,” Fox said. Attorney Scott Moorey said one reason the state is fighting an uphill battle for convictions is confidential informants are often necessary during investigation but tricky in the courtroom. “The defendant made a choice to become a member of the Lake Boyz and commit crimes with the Lake Boyz,” Moorey said. “The state is asking that you hold the defendant accountable.” One accused member had his charges dropped. One took a plea deal and is waiting for sentencing. Michael Chatman-Dillard and Detron Williams are accused Lake Boyz members. They both violated terms of their pretrial release by being in contact with their co-defendants. Deputies found them just feet away from where a mix-tape party took place in Lehigh Acres just feet away from where a victim was shot and killed. MORE: Building owner cancels lease on tenant after deadly Lehigh shooting Moorey said defendants in the next wave of trials will likely see lesser charges brought against them. But even if they aren’t charged with racketeering, many accused members face all types of other charges. “From a defendant’s standpoint, you can win the battle, lose the war,” Moorey said. “You may be win on 15 of your major counts, not guilty on racketeering but be convicted on one second-degree felony that puts you in 15 years of prison.” PREVIOUS LAKE BOYZ COVERAGE: 4 accused ‘Lake Boyz’ members found not guilty on racketeering, conspiracy charges Accused Lake Boyz member sentenced to 18 years for racketeering charges Lake Boyz member found guilty Fort Myers police delivering initiative letters to accused Lake Boyz