Former Florida congressional candidate and fired pandemic health manager Rebekah Jones agreed in a court document to admit she was guilty of a hacking-related felony. But she now disputes prosecutors’ claims that she illegally used a government messaging service to send mass texts criticizing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of the …
Read More »Gainesville man who fled country after child porn arrest back in custody
A Gainesville man accused of soliciting minors for nude photos and videos was apprehended in the Dominican Republic by U.S. Marshals and transported back to Alachua County early last week after violating the conditions of his bond by allegedly fleeing the country for the Caribbean, court records show. The Gainesville …
Read More »Legal drama in Florida Supreme Court hearing whether police names can be kept secret in deadly shootings
Florida’s Supreme Court on Wednesday wrestled during a hearing in Tallahassee over questions about whether a new law protecting the rights of crime victims can be used to keep secret the identities of police officers who kill a suspect in the line of duty. The immediate case involved separate, fatal …
Read More »Police: Gainesville woman set girlfriend’s dog on fire out of spite
A Gainesville woman remains jailed Monday over allegations she doused gasoline on her girlfriend’s dog tied to a tree and set it on fire after they argued, court records showed. She sent a video of the dog burning out of spite to her girlfriend, police said. Tequila Quashea Atkins, 37, …
Read More »Gainesville commissioners vote to allow sex offenders to live closer to schools, day cares and parks
The Gainesville City Commission passed an amendment Tuesday that allows people convicted of sexual offenses involving children under age 16 to live closer to schools, day care centers and parks, reducing the prohibited radius from 2,500 feet to 1,000 feet. The amendment also establishes a cut-off date that was previously …
Read More »Legal question: Are police officers victims when they shoot someone in line of duty?
The Florida Supreme Court will consider arguments Wednesday in Tallahassee in a case that considers whether the identities of police officers who kill civilians in violent encounters can be withheld from the public. Law enforcement is among one of the only civilian professions in which the use of deadly force …
Read More »Charges against Jalen Kitna spotlight the problem of child pornography in Florida, nationally
The arrest and charges against University of Florida back-up quarterback Jalen Kitna are a reminder of the dark problem of child pornography in Florida and the nation, law enforcement and other experts said. “It is a super serious issue,” said civil attorney Trip Green of Ocala. “You can be charged …
Read More »Marion County man arrested in connection to sex trafficking minors
A Marion County man was arrested on Friday following accusations he engaged in human trafficking with two minors for over a year, with his wife having been arrested too for helping him to coordinate visits with them, according to police. Police arrested Dwight Edwards, 47, after an investigation concluded he …
Read More »UF backup quarterback played season while secretly under investigation in child pornography case
The University of Florida’s backup quarterback played his whole season in the shadows of struggling starter Anthony Richardson — and now, it turns out, a sensational child pornography investigation, too. The criminal investigation, which began in June and unfolded slowly over five months during a disappointing 6-6 season, has redirected national attention on the Florida Gators – under new head coach Billy Napier – and quarterback Jalen Kitna, 19, of Burleson, Texas. Kitna was released from jail on an $80,000 bond late Thursday, after his first court appearance in a case involving five felony counts of possessing and distributing child pornography online.
Read More »UF backup quarterback released from jail after child pornography arrest
Florida Gators backup quarterback was released from jail on an $80,000 bond Thursday, hours after his first court appearance in a case involving five felony counts of possessing and distributing child pornography online. According to newly disclosed court records, the case originated with a tip in June – months before …
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