For Immediate Release
December 17, 2015
 
WEWAHITCHKA, Fla. – Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement served an arrest warrant yesterday at Gulf Correctional Institution charging inmate Loomes Wheeler with six counts of solicitation to commit murder.  Wheeler, a millionaire who owned riding stables in Central Florida, is serving a life sentence for lewd and lascivious molestation from Osceola County.
 
While in prison, Wheeler tried to hire a hitman to kill the assistant state attorney and law enforcement officers who worked on his original case, along with the judge who presided over his trial. 
 
“Trial court judges preside over complex and often difficult cases. While the public might believe judges often receive threats to their safety or the safety of their families, fortunately that event is actually quite rare,” said Ninth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Fred Lauten. “On the few occasions when judges have been threatened, law enforcement, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Orange and Osceola County Sheriff’s office, the Orlando Police Department and other municipal police departments have treated any threat very seriously and diligently work with the court system to investigate threats. We are grateful to them for their conscientious work to ensure that judges remain safe and secure.”
 
“I appreciate the quick work of our FDLE agents and law enforcement partners to investigate inmate Wheeler and ensure the safety of those in our criminal justice system,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Carl Causey.
 
“FDLE takes threats against our public officials seriously, and is committed to ensuring the criminals who threaten them are held accountable,” said FDLE Orlando Special Agent in Charge Danny Banks.
 
“Any threat to law enforcement causes us great concern and are fully investigated,” said Osceola County Sheriff Bob Hansell.  “We worked closely with FDLE on this case which targeted two of our detectives who were instrumental in the investigation, prosecution and incarceration of Loomes Wheeler for his original crimes.” 
 
FDLE began this investigation in October after receiving information from Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. The Florida Department of Corrections assisted in the investigation.  Wheeler offered to pay $95,000 for the hits and told an FDLE agent, who he believed was a hitman, he wanted the victims shot to death as soon as possible. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 14th Judicial Circuit. 
 
For Further Information Contact:
Gretl Plessinger, Molly Best or Steve Arthur
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001