LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underwayRock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
FILE Photo of FMPD Officer Jason Jackson. Credit: WINK News. Henry Jackson said his son Jason wanted to be a police officer since he was a little boy. In 2007, Jason Jackson became a fully certified officer with the Fort Myers Police department and excelled. He passed the detective’s exam and got promoted to a newly formed gang unit in 2016. A few months later, he was named officer of the month for his role in a police standoff with a murder suspect. But then in 2017, Chief Derrick Diggs placed Jackson on paid administrative leave for “misconduct.” Jackson and three others were suspended: Capt. Melvin Perry, Sgt. Michael Forbes, and Sgt. Rick Notaro. Henry Jackson To date: the department has never explained why. The other three officers have all retired, but Jackson remains on paid leave, collecting full pay and benefits. He has been paid around $220,000 since 2017. “I’m going to rejoice the day that they say they don’t have anything and they say I’m sorry I messed up four years of your life,” said Henry Jackson, who wants to restore his son’s reputation. Sources told WINK News investigative reporter Lauren Sweeney that Jackson, Perry, Forbes, and Notaro are part of a federal criminal investigation into drugs, murder, and public corruption. The head of the police union said the investigation is tied to the case against Robert Ward, an alleged drug kingpin whose accused of ordering the murder of a police informant in 2012. READ MORE: Is a 3-year police misconduct investigation connected to the murder of a federal drug informant? Kristopher Smith was murdered in Fort Myers in early 2013. The officers received target letters from the United States Attorney’s Office in 2018 the day before Ward was indicted. According to Henry Jackson, his son reported to the courthouse in Tampa, as instructed in the letter. “I don’t know exactly what happened on that particular date, but he came back home,” said Henry Jackson. He believes rumors were started by a detective at the department, which led to the investigation. In 2016, an internal affairs investigation was launched into Det. Emily Destefanis for things she’d said about Jackson, Perry, and Forbes in front of coworkers. According to the investigation, Destefanis was discussing possible corruption with the officers, but her coworkers felt she did not have any evidence and was out of line for making the insinuation. According to audio interviews reviewed by WINK News, at one point, Destefanis discussed Jackson riding around in a car with someone that was a known drug dealer. The comment was made in front of two coworkers who are both black and who defended Jackson. “I reiterated the fact that Jason does football for the football league locally for Dunbar… and all of the kids even with some of those guys that are bad guys they’re out there doing the things that they’re doing, (but) it could be that his kid is on the team that Jackson is affiliated with,” said Chevalia Jones during an interview with the professional standards bureau in 2017. Destefanis admitted to talking about information on a murder case leaking out into the community due to Perry’s familial connection with the victim. She also spoke about a connection between the ex-wife of Forbes and the murder victim. Destefanis was eventually reprimanded for her comments and given counseling. But Henry Jackson feels these rumors made their way to the ear of Chief Derrick Diggs, who decided to place his son and the others on paid leave. “You’re going on four years, and you haven’t even charged anyone with a crime,” he said. Accused drug kingpin Robert Ward will not go to trial until January 2021. The United States Attorney’s Office will not confirm the connection between the officers and his case. The Fort Myers Police Department has continually declined to comment on anything to do with the suspended officers.