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News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
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 Carrie Horstman, Brian Bruchey, and Julianna Rivera. 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.
Aug 3, 2026
Winter Haven man whose prison sentence was commuted by President Biden arrested by PCSO undercover detectives for trafficking in fentanyl
Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, Media Relations Administrator
In June of 2026, the Polk County Sheriff's Office HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) task force received a tip that 42-year-old Antonie "Tony" Delynn Latimore of Winter Haven was selling illegal narcotics in Polk County, and an investigation ensued.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Latimore was arrested in 2019 during an undercover operation between the Lakeland FBI, Tampa DEA, and Florida Highway Patrol, after he sold crack cocaine to a confidential source. On March 6, 2020, he pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine, and was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison. His sentence was commuted to July 16, 2026, due to an executive grant of clemency that was signed by President Joe Biden which took effect on January 17, 2025.
On two different dates in June 2026, undercover HIDTA detectives arranged to buy 100 fentanyl pills and 100 MDMA (Ecstasy) pills from Latimore. In July, Latimore asked the undercover detectives if they knew anyone selling cocaine so that he could purchase a large amount and then sell it himself. A purchase of three kilograms of cocaine was arranged for July 29, 2026. Latimore told the undercover detectives that he wanted to use his 1983 Buick worth over $80,000 due to upgrades such as rims, the audio system, and other modifications, as collateral for the purchase of the illegal narcotics.
On July 31, 2026, Antonie Latimore was taken into custody in Winter Haven and charged with trafficking in fentanyl over 14 grams (F1), trafficking in MDMA over 10 grams (F2), maintaining a vehicle to traffic drugs (F2), and possession of drug paraphernalia (M1).
"Tony Latimore told our detectives that he does not sell 'a lot of drugs' but sells them 'from time to time to make money.' Well isn't that something - an honest drug dealer. This guy should have still been in federal prison, but thanks to President Biden, he's back out on the street peddling dangerous drugs like fentanyl. This is why soft on crime policies don't work - they endanger lives." - Grady Judd, Sheriff