July 10, 2025 - Punta Gorda, FL After an investigation began in April into the allegations against Dagoberto Pena, Detective Don Woelke who is assigned to the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force has federally indicted Pena on four charges related to child pornography. DAGOBERTO PENA (06/14/1988) On April 26, 2025, Charlotte County... Continue Reading →

July 8, 2025 - Port Charlotte, FL Three days after the investigation began, detectives have arrested and charged a second suspect in the Hernando Avenue shooting. On July 5th in the 22000 block of Hernando Avenue in Port Charlotte a dispute between two teenagers led to Michael Balunas being charged with 2nd degree murder for... Continue Reading →

An ongoing argument between two teenagers turned violent, leaving one injured and the other pronounced deceased on scene. On July 5th, 2025, at approximately 5:20pm, a 911 caller reported a shooting in the area of the 22000 block of Hernando Avenue in Port Charlotte. The responding deputies located two males with gunshot wounds when they... Continue Reading →

June 27, 2025 - Port Charlotte, FL Charlotte County Sheriff's Office detectives and Crime Scene members are working a death investigation after a traffic stop led to the driver shooting himself. This evening, a North Port Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that began in North Port but ultimately ended just... Continue Reading →

June 25, 2025 - Tallahassee, FL Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed two new bills into Florida law aimed at improving the state's mental health services, with Sheriff Bill Prummell being a driving force in both. The first bill, the Tristin Murphy Act, was named for a man in the Florida prison system who tragically took... Continue Reading →

June 12, 2025 - Charlotte County, FL Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, FL, K9s Leroy, Raider, Rico, and Toro will receive bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. All the vests were sponsored by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Leroy’s vest will be embroidered... Continue Reading →

June 1, 2025 - Punta Gorda, FL A female inmate was pronounced dead at the hospital after she was found unresponsive in her cell with a piece of fabric around her neck. At about 7:30pm on Saturday, May 31, a Charlotte County Jail inmate was discovered unresponsive in her cell. The inmate was identified as... Continue Reading →

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, FL, K9 Maverick has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.  K9 Maverick’s vest was sponsored by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to... Continue Reading →

May 27, 2025 - Punta Gorda, FL A woman is in the Charlotte County Jail after stabbing a 12-year-old in the face and neck and attempting to hide her body, though still alive. In the afternoon of Monday, May 26, Charlotte County deputies responded to the Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area in reference to a... Continue Reading →

For Immediate Release:  Tallahassee, Fla. (May 23, 2025) - Sheriff deputies and personnel representing 39 Florida sheriffs’ offices graduated from the Florida Sheriffs Association’s (FSA) prestigious Commanders Academy. The Commanders Academy is an exceptionally informative and educational experience that is vital for the next generation of public safety leaders. The Commanders Academy has become recognized as... Continue Reading →