News

FDLE operation nets 19 violent career and sexual offender arrests

 
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., - Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, along with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, arrested six violent career offenders  and 13 sexual offenders after they violated registration laws.  The arrests were part of a month-long operation which resulted in a roundup on Thursday, Sept. 4.  The operation was organized by FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Unit.
 
“The felons arrested during this operation represent the worst of the worst,” said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey.  “My thanks to EIS for removing them from our streets.”
 
The Florida Career Offender Registration Act began in 2002.  The act requires career offenders to register their addresses with local sheriff’s offices to be maintained in a registry accessible to law enforcement and the public at http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/coflyer/home.asp.
 
Florida’s Sex Offender Registry began in 1997.  Florida laws require sexual offenders to register their addresses with local sheriff’s offices to be maintained publically on-line at http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do.
 
The Tallahassee Police Department and the US Marshal’s Task Force also made arrests based on warrants initiated by FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Unit.
 
All suspects were booked into the Leon County Jail (unless otherwise noted) and will be prosecuted by the Office of State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit.  The list of those arrested is as follows:
 
Sexual Offenders who violated registration laws
 
  • Timothy Mears, 53, Darlington County South Carolina Jail, arrested June 18, 2014.
  • Dale Robert Allen, 53, arrested July 10, 2014.
  • Ben Pearson, 63, arrested July 14, 2014.
  • Erick Moody, 35, arrested July 30, 2014.
  • Berrion Davis, 61, arrested Aug. 7, 2014.
  • Robert Williams, 32, arrested Aug. 11, 2014.
  • Chris Vuoso, 43, arrested before Aug. 19, 2014.
  • Fontavius Ling, 23, arrested Aug. 21, 2014.
  • John Hearn, 44, arrested Sept. 3, 2014.
  • Robert Rivers, 59, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.
  • Keith Howard, 36, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.
  • Ahmad Muhammad (A.K.A. Jerome Williams), 41, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.
  • Marquis Rogers, 29, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.
Career Offenders who violated registration laws
 
  • Kenneth Hills, 48, arrested July 29, 2014.
  • Derrick Holmes, 40, arrested Aug. 24, 2014.
  • Robert Morrow, 52, arrested July 29, 2014.
  • Harry Smith, 62, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.
  • Dane Booth, 30, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.
  • Robert Robinson, 50, arrested Sept. 4, 2014.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Priorities

FDLE is composed of five areas: Executive Direction and Business Support, Criminal Investigations and Forensic Science, Criminal Justice Information, Criminal Justice Professionalism and Florida Capitol Police. FDLE’s duties, responsibilities and procedures are mandated through Chapter 943, FS, and Chapter 11, FAC. To learn more about these areas, read our Statement of Agency Organization and Operation or visit our Open Government page.