Crime

The FBI reports a staggering increase in reports of crimes linked to cryptocurrency fraud across the country resulting in $9.3 billion in losses in 2024.The federal report also shows the number of crimes linked to Crypto ATMs has skyrocketed — up 99 percent in 2024 compared with the previous year.Florida — across the state and right here in Southwest Florida — is not immune.

A 16-year-old from Cape Coral was arrested Tuesday after his father reported suspicious items found in his son’s bedroom after he had been reported as a runaway.The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested John David Ruiz in connection with a burglary involving stolen security equipment. The arrest occurred days after Ruiz was reported missing and while detectives were eating lunch at Publix and spotted Ruiz, whom they noticed had put his Crocs shoes into “sport mode” in futile preparation to flee.

A Cape Coral man is one of nearly 20 Floridians charged in a nationwide health care fraud case.Eric Strom Holland, 55, was charged with wire fraud and distributing and dispensing controlled substances in connection with an alleged scheme to deceive doctors into writing controlled substance prescriptions based on false pretenses.The charges stem from the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against Holland and 323 other defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss.

—Seth Bloom of Sarasota is facing charges connected to orchestrating a multi-county construction fraud scheme that defrauded at least 13 victims across seven Florida counties, resulting in more than $3 million in losses. The charges were filed by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. During Bloom’s arrest and the execution of a search warrant, investigators also uncovered a large cache of firearms and ammunition—despite Mr. Bloom being a convicted felon.

Alexander Lightner of Venice was sentenced in federal court today to 51 months in prison for possession of an unregistered firearm. His case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.Court documents said Lightner is a member of the Terrorgram Collective — an online organization promoting white supremacy. The group espouses that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government.

The arrest of three men in connection with separate and unrelated child sexual abuse material cases was described today by Florida Attorney General James Uthemeyer at a media briefing in Fort Myers.Those arrested included former LaBelle resident 46-year-old Jason Harrison of Jacksonville, 41-year-old Kevin Sheffield of Naples and 34-year-old Travis Montgomery of Bradenton.

A Charlotte County Public Schools teacher/coach is on administrative leave for an issue a school official said is “serious.” The official confirmed the district is cooperating with an investigation by Punta Gorda police.

Amid the abandoned chemistry notes and other debris left behind after a deadly shooting at Florida State University are lingering questions about how the stepson of a beloved sheriff’s deputy tasked with school safety at a middle school became the accused gunman.Political science student Phoenix Ikner was a long-standing member of a sheriff’s office youth advisory council and was steeped in the family-like culture of the agency. When officers rushed to the university’s student union on reports of gunfire, authorities say it was the 20-year-old who used his stepmother’s former service weapon to open fire, killing two men and wounding six others.