POLK COUNTY, Fla. – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 19 gang members involved in a series of violent crimes, including drive-by shootings and a fatal stabbing. These individuals, part of five rival gangs operating in Winter Haven, Haines City, and the Waverly area, were responsible for numerous inter-gang attacks.
The arrests come as part of the efforts of the Violent Gang Investigative Task Force (VGITF), established in February 2023. The task force is a multi-agency collaboration between the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, local law enforcement, and federal agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ATF Tampa, FBI Tampa, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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The task force aims to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gang operations within Polk County.
Polk County has experienced a sharp rise in gang-related violence, with the number of shootings increasing from six incidents in 2019 to 59 in 2022. In the 18 months leading up to the formation of VGITF, there were 87 gang-related shootings. Since the task force’s creation, law enforcement efforts have led to a 30% reduction in these incidents, with 61 shootings recorded in the last 18 months. The task force has also arrested 144 gang members and seized 57 firearms, six of which were confirmed stolen.
The investigation uncovered that the gang-related violence escalated following the murder of Dyreon Outsey in May 2021, leading to a series of retaliatory attacks between rival gangs. The violent incidents involved drive-by shootings, a carjacking, and the fatal stabbing of Demetrius Alexis in November 2023 at a Publix in Winter Haven.
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The arrested gang members have lengthy criminal histories, with many of them involved in violent crimes dating back to their adolescence. Their past offenses include homicide, armed robbery, weapon offenses, and narcotics violations. Many of the charges in these cases include gang enhancements, which increase penalties due to their involvement in gang activities.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd expressed his determination to stop gang violence, stating, “This is kids killing kids, and we’re not going to accept that. We’re not going to allow that.”
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In addition to these arrests, the Sheriff’s Office has conducted several operations to combat gang activity in the county, including Operation Hot Wire, Operation Sex, Money, Murder, and Operation Gangs & Guns.
These operations have led to the arrest of dozens of gang members involved in narcotics trafficking, robberies, and violent crimes.
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