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The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is hoping the public can identify a suspect in a string of vehicle burglaries.

The suspect was captured on surveillance video in the area of Harbor Boulevard and Graham Street.

“It’s very close to the holidays and criminals know that some keep presents and other valuables in the car. Don’t have a nightmare this Christmas and remember to REMOVE your valuables & LOCK your doors,” the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said.

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One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times as high as the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.

As the pandemic enters its 10th month — and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine — at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.

“That number is a vast undercount,” said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York’s Rikers Island jail complex.
prisoners dying from COVID-19
One in five prisoners in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times higher than the U.S. overall, according to data collected by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press.

Venters has conducted more than a dozen court-ordered COVID-19 prison inspections around the country. “I still encounter prisons and jails where, when people get sick, not only are they not tested but they don’t receive care. So they get much sicker than need be,” he said.

Now the rollout of vaccines poses difficult decisions for politicians and policymakers. As the virus spreads largely unchecked behind bars, prisoners can’t social distance and are dependent on the state for their safety and well-being.

This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and The Marshall Project exploring the state of the prison system in the coronavirus pandemic.

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Eight people have been arrested after a statewide investigation into organized retail crime targeting baby formula, diapers, and energy drinks.

Suspects are accused of stealing from Publix, Southeastern Grocers (Winn-Dixie) and Walmart, according to a news release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The way it works is five suspects entered stores and placed dozens of baby formula into reusable shopping bags. They would conceal the formula with diapers before leaving the store and loading the goods into a rental car. Each theft amounted to $350 to $900 worth of stolen items from the stores. They took the items to three other suspects who paid them for the items and then resold the items from the store.

The total estimated loss to retailers is more than $84,000, according to the release. The crimes were investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

Thefts occurred in Charlotte, Citrus, Desoto, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Levy, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia.

The fencing locations were identified as Ray’s Food Mart in Tampa and Ten Star Deli and Supermarket, also in Tampa.

Those arrested for reselling the goods include:

Eshaud Suid, 31, and is accused of conspiracy to commit racketeering and Racketeering Violation.

Ahmed Hamdan, 27, is accused of conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Abas Issa, 53, was arrested for allegedly dealing in stolen property.

Those arrested for committing the thefts include:

Rantevia Singleton, 26, faces charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering, Racketeering Violation, and nine counts of grand theft.

Adrian Givens, 25,  faces conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering Violation and grand theft charges.

Ashley Anderson, 24, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit racketeering. 

Andrea Mack, 25, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit and grand theft.

Authorities are still searching for Beatrice Johnson, 29. She is accused of conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering violation, and grand theft.

The Southwest Florida stores the suspects stole formula from:

  • Winn Dixie: 1254 Jacaranda Blvd, Venice
  • Walmart: 1100 South Main Street, North Port
  • Walmart: 2150 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte
  • Winn Dixie: 9864 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia
  • Walmart: 2020 NE Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral
  • Walmart: 3920 Skyline Blvd, Cape Coral

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A Glades County man was arrested Thursday on several counts of child pornography.

Robert John Etgeton, 44, of Muse was arrested by special agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on 20 counts of possession of child pornography. Due to the number of images and the sexual battery of children depicted in them, each count qualifies to be enhanced to second-degree felonies.

FDLE agents and the Glades County Sheriff’s Office first searched Etgeton’s residence on Nov. 13 and found a personal computer containing the child pornography. He was taken into custody after forensic examinations of the computer uncovered hundreds of images of children, including infants, involved in sex acts.

Etgeton was booked into the Glades County Jail.

Review tips for keeping your children safe online here.

A mugshot was not available at the time of publishing and will be updated once it is available.

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Vice President Mike Pence received the coronavirus vaccine on live television Friday morning. The event was televised with the intent of assuring Americans the vaccine is safe. To discuss the vaccine and Americans’ reaction to it is political psychologist Dr. Bart Rossi.

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NOTE: No COVID-19 vaccine is currently available to the general public on request.

Doctors are closely watching COVID-19 vaccinations for reported side effects. To track them, and potentially help people in the future, the Centers for Disease Control are going to use a text-based app called V-Safe.

While news of adverse reactions can make people nervous about getting vaccinated, experts say the vaccines are safe.

“There have been a few people around the country and around the world that had some severe adverse effects,” said Robert Hawkes, director of Florida Gulf Coast University’s physician assistant program. “Many of these folks had underlying allergies, as well, to other vaccines, so it would not be common to have a severe adverse effect for someone who has not had a response.”

Once the app is launched, its features will include daily symptom checks and text messages checking in on you. A big concern when using apps like this is the possible risk to your personal information. Cybersecurity experts say it’s all about doing your homework.

“You should make sure that you kinda read up on the government’s website, to see what information they’re actually asking [for] before you use the app,” said Gene Hoyt, computer systems instructor at FGCU. “Because if you go to the website and it says, ‘Hey, we’re not going to ask for your social security number,’ and this app is asking for it, then you know that something’s possibly wrong, that you may have gotten the wrong app.”

Hawkes says the CDC always tracks the side effects of vaccines, but because this COVID-19 vaccine is new to all of us, it’s under extra scrutiny.

“Yeah, the adverse effects are going to be very, very limited,” Hawkes said. “So don’t do this as a reason to say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to get the COVID-19 vaccine.’ This appears to be very safe… certainly they’re going to put us under extra scrutiny to make sure that it’s safe for public distribution.”

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Vice President Mike Pence is receiving a televised COVID-19 vaccination Friday morning, making him the highest-profile government official to do so publicly. Second lady Karen Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams will also be receiving a vaccination.

Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, has taken on much of the day-to-day work on COVID-19, even as the president continues to focus publicly on the election. It’s not year clear when Mr. Trump, who has already had COVID-19, will receive the vaccine.

In a statement Wednesday night, the vice president said he and his wife, Karen Pence, are taking the Pfizer vaccine publicly in order to instill confidence in it, as millions of Americans remain skeptical of the thoroughly tested products.

The vaccination is taking place in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the building that holds Pence’s office. Watch below or click here.

President-elect Joe Biden is also expected to receive the vaccine soon.

Pfizer’s vaccine is currently being distributed to high-risk health care workers, and Moderna’s vaccine is expected to reach arms before the end of the month, too.

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A fire tore through a house in North Fort Myers early Friday morning, leaving two parents and their 18-year-old without a home just ahead of Christmas.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office captured video of the flames engulfing the home on Washington Drive around 12:20 a.m. The North Fort Myers Fire District was able to put the fire out before 1 a.m., but the house had been gutted, leaving only charred remains.

One dog made it out with the family, three of the other pets did not survive.

The fire was caused by a heat lamp on the family’s back porch.

Linda Stefanosky didn’t see the fire that burned down her son’s home. But she got that call that no parent ever wants to get.

Then, she raced to his North Fort Myers neighborhood. “I came here as fast as I could to find Michelle and the ambulance and my son watching the house burn down,” said Stefanosky.

The fire was still blazing as she arrived, and now the house is completely gone. She says many memories, good and bad, burned up in that home.

“Me and my late husband got married here in the backyard. He’s since passed away in 2012,” said Linda. “My son had cancer here also passed away in 2007 so and now this. There’s a lot of Christmases, a lot of joy and laughter and love.”

Linda’s son Marvin, his girlfriend, Michelle and her 18-year-old daughter Rayne aren’t really sure what’s next for their family.

Rayne is on the Autism spectrum. Kaitlyn Terrell is Michelle’s goddaughter. She also raced to the scene and helped Rayne understand and cope with the fact that she lost everything.

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After starting off in the 40s and 50s across Southwest Florida, highs will slowly climb into the 60s by the second half of the day.

By Saturday morning, we’ll be chilly, but not as cold as Friday. Lows will dip into the 50s with a light breeze.

Enjoy a tranquil and warm weekend ahead, before our next cold front approaches early next week. This will spark up a few showers late Sunday, before the main event on Monday!

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A brand-new bill in the Florida Senate would require schools to offer a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day.

MORE: SB-282 – Moment of Silence in Public Schools

At Collier County Public Schools, schools already observe moments of silence, but they are not enforced.

Schools are allowed to have reflection, prayer or meditation on their own terms, but say under no circumstances do they have to participate.

The Florida bill would require certain teachers to set aside time for the moment of silence at the beginning of each school day.

Some parents think it’s a good idea to have quiet time, but others worry about what the moment of silence would really be for.

Days can get hectic, and that’s something 10-year-old Casey agrees with.

“I need a break sometimes,” he said.

That’s why a Florida senator introduced a bill Thursday to require public school principals to require certain teachers to set aside two minutes for a moment of silence each school day.

“Having some quiet time for personal reflection is probably a good idea,” Colby Brannan said.

Brannan agrees and says taking a moment in school to breathe could be healthy for students.

“It depends on how the teachers frame it,” Brannan said.

Some parents are unsure if students will understand what the moment of silence is for.

“I don’t think it’s right to force things upon like religion and beliefs and to pushed upon somebody,” Greg Somers said. “You have a right to do what you want to do, even as a kid.”

Some want to ensure the reflection time is implemented correctly.

“I don’t think the teachers should be imposing any kind of idea of what the moment of silence or quiet time needs to be used for,” Jack Barnwell said.

The bill specifies teachers should not make suggestions about what students should reflect on.

“In this day in age, you need to know the facts,” Somers said. “Even kids can make educated decisions when they are young.”

The bill also encourages parents to talk about the moment of silence and what’s best for students to do with their time.

Lawmakers are set to discuss the bill during next session beginning March 2021. It would become effective in June if passed.

“I think if it’s just quiet time, you can choose with if what you would like to do,” Brannan said. “If you would like to pray, I think you should be able to pray and if you don’t want to.”

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