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Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
May 7, 2024
Operation Pop Top: Two sales clerks arrested for illegal alcohol sales
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
Two Winter Haven convenience store clerks were arrested for illegal alcohol sales on Monday, May 6, 2024 by deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
The arrests were the latest in the PCSO's Operation Pop Top, wherein deputies visit area stores testing them to see if they would sell alcoholic beverages to someone under 21 years of age--a violation of state law.
"We should be seeing 100% of the stores refusing to sell alcohol to anyone under 21, but we don't--and that's why we will continue to do these visits. These stores and the clerks have a responsibility to check ID's and refuse to sell to anyone who is not old enough." - Grady Judd, Sheriff.
Deputies made visits to seven Winter Haven stores and were assisted by a 17-year old member of the PCSO Cadets, a program for high school students interested in a career in law enforcement.
The Cadet made attempts to purchase an alcoholic beverage at each stop, and was successful at two stores;
Arrested were:
Sean Axel Colon-Rivera, 20, a sales clerk at the Circle K store at 1000 1st St South, and Ebony Mitchell, 44, sales clerk at 7-Eleven at 1099 1st St S.
Both were charged with Selling Alcohol to a Person Under 21 Years of Age, a misdemeanor.
In addition to those seven stores, deputies and the Cadet also visited two stores to ensure they were compliant with Kratom sales.