Key Largo

A 72-year-old Key Largo property owner, Sherry Lee Sears, was arrested after authorities accused her of renting rooms to drug dealers and users for three years, leading to drug-related activity including overdose emergencies and arrests. Deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office conducted investigations at the property, linking it to the sale of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Sears faces charges and is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 1.

An 18-year-old Illinois teen with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Brent Meizelis, fulfilled his dream of interacting with dolphins in Key Largo through a collaboration between Make-A-Wish Illinois and Make-A-Wish Southern Florida. He participated in dolphin care activities, swam with the animals, and expressed gratitude for the experience, which his mother described as creating lifelong memories.

A Florida real estate influencer and her husband were charged with two felony counts of child neglect after deputies found two young children alone in a hotel room for up to an hour while they drank at the pool. The children were unharmed and placed in the custody of a family friend pending child welfare officials.

A Delray Beach couple was arrested for child neglect after hotel staff discovered their two young children alone and crying in a Key Largo resort room while the parents were at the pool drinking. Security footage confirmed the children were left unattended for 40 minutes to an hour, and the Department of Children and Family Services was notified.

A 20-year-old Miami-Dade woman was arrested after deputies found a dachshund locked in a hot SUV without food or water in Key Largo. Authorities reported the dog was in distress, and the suspect claimed to have forgotten it was in the vehicle. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took custody of the dog, and the woman faces a misdemeanor charge of confining an animal without sufficient resources.

A Florida man was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a teenage girl, hiding her inside a clothes dryer at his Key Largo home, and engaging in unlawful sexual activity with her. The victim called 911 to report being held hostage and was found without life-threatening injuries. Authorities, including the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and FBI, recovered the girl and collected evidence, including counterfeit currency.

A Key Largo man was arrested after a teenage girl was found hidden in a dryer and held against her will. Christopher Michael Veit, 53, faces charges including kidnapping, interference with child custody, and unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Deputies discovered the victim in the dryer after she called 911, and evidence of counterfeit currency was found.

A 53-year-old Key Largo man faces multiple felony charges, including kidnapping and unlawful sexual activity with a minor, after deputies found a teenage girl held inside a clothes dryer at his home. The girl, 16 or 17, called 911 to report being held hostage, and deputies discovered counterfeit currency during the investigation.

Bodycam video shows the arrest of Victor Rafael Arcia Albeja in the Florida Keys, linked to a human smuggling scheme involving the kidnapping and forced transportation of Cuban nationals. Deputies found a Cuban passport during the stop, and Arcia Albeja, the last of six convicted in the case, faces up to life in prison.

A Massachusetts couple faces felony charges in Key Largo, Florida, after allegedly burglarizing a Mercedes-Benz sedan at a repair shop and starting a dumpster fire. Deputies arrested Evan Robert Aubrey and Chabar Sara Duangsay following a security video investigation, with both held in Key West jail awaiting arraignment on June 16.