Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agents yesterday arrested a wanted fugitive who had been on the run for four years. Karoll Acosta-Gonzalez, 31, was arrested in Miami and charged with failure to appear - organized scheme to defraud and failure to appear - criminal use of personal information.

Acosta-Gonzalez was originally arrested in February 2005 after a multi-agency identity theft investigation revealed that she, in concert with David Alexander Acosta, had broken into vehicles parked at beaches throughout central Florida in order to steal credit cards left in wallets and handbags. The two would then create Florida driver licenses to match the victims’ stolen credit card and purchase high-end electronics at various merchants throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Acosta-Gonzalez was out on bond in Pinellas County and failed to appear for her arraignment. She then fled to Canada and committed similar crimes there using the alias of Raquel Lazo.

On Monday, FDLE agents received information that Acosta was in the Miami area. At the time of her arrest, agents found identification in her possession that revealed she was using the last name Torres.

A fingerprint match confirmed Torres was in fact Acosta and she was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail pending extradition to Pinellas County. Attorney General Bill McCollum’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute this case.

For Further Information Contact:
Heather Smith, Kristen Chernosky or Mike Morrison
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001