FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 17, 2026

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. – Inspectors, agents and analysts with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division, alongside the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC), arrested 13 individuals for violations of Florida law.

The two-day operation targeted 52 registrants on active supervision with the FDC residing within Hernando County to confirm compliance with their probation conditions, as well as Florida’s registration laws.

During the operation, contact was made with 47 registered sex offenders and predators, and members of FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Bureau (EIS), the FDLE Brooksville Field Office, and HCSO investigators conducted verification interviews for each registrant and FDC officials conducted residential and electronic device searches.

The investigation led to 11 suspects being apprehended for registration-related, probation violations, or both. The arrests include eight sexual offenders and three sexual predators. 

Arrests:

Russell Hetzel, 38, sexual predator

Mike Marrero, 56, sexual predator

Gary Payne, 67, sexual predator

Anthony Boffil, 39, sexual offender

Nathaniel Campbell, 32, sexual offender

Angel Casanova Ramos, 55, sexual offender

Colin Fee, 26, sexual offender

Scott Fishburne, 54, sexual offender

Bernard Gold, 67, sexual offender

Timothy Stanke, 38, sexual offender

Ernest Taylor, 51, sexual offender

The 11 suspects face various charges including failure to report changes in vehicles, e-mail addresses, and Internet Identifiers, as well as possession of methamphetamine, possession of prescription drug treating erectile dysfunction by a sexual offender and violation of probation. Additionally, Jesus Velazquez, 65, who was on sexual offender probation, was arrested on an active warrant for violation of probation. 

Nicola Karbassi, 57, of Spring Hill, was also arrested during the operation for fleeing and eluding law enforcement. FDLE and HCSO attempted a traffic stop after observing Karbassi driving at a high rate of speed in a residential neighborhood and failing to stop at two stop signs. Karbassi eventually stopped his vehicle and was taken into custody. 

All suspects were booked into the Hernando County Jail. 

The cases are being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. 

FDLE’s Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division, including analysts from the Offender Registry Services Bureau, partners with sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal law enforcement across Florida to verify compliance with Florida’s registration laws requiring sex offenders and predators to report to their local sheriff’s office and provide information including residential addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle information, internet identifiers, photograph, passport and conviction information.

Citizens can access Florida’s Sex Offender Registry by downloading the FDLE Mobile App and search the online Florida’s Sex Offender Registry at Sexual Offenders and Predators Search.

For Further Information Contact

FDLE Office of Public Information

Info@fdle.state.fl.us