News and Investigations

On Wednesday, March 25, 2020, PCSO undercover narcotics detectives served a search warrant at 114 Harbor Drive in Winter Haven, in response to complaints and information that illegal narcotics were possibly being sold from the home. 

“We often rely on the public to be our eyes and ears in the community - and when we receive tips about suspicious activity at a house, we take them very seriously. Not only did we seize trafficking amounts of drugs from this house, there were children inside. Make no mistake - we will not tolerate illegal drug trafficking in our county. We will see to it that drug dealers go to jail and are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Inside the home, detectives found 193 grams of marijuana in a toilet (about to be flushed), and 30 bags of heroin, packaged for sale, along with $5,500 cash.

Inside a purse belonging to Andrea Kinsler, detectives found a bag of heroin.

Inside Rakeem Rivers' vehicle that was parked on a nearby vacant lot that also belongs to Rivers, detectives found 60 grams of heroin and 420 more grams of marijuana. 

The total street value of the drugs seized is $11,740.

Detectives arrested four people inside the home, and they are:

Rakeem Rivers, DOB 09/12/1991, charged with: 
• Trafficking in heroin (F1)
• Possession of heroin with intent to sell (WITS) (F2)
• Possession of a structure to traffic drugs (F2)
• Possession of marijuana WITS (F3)
• Possession of marijuana over 20 grams (F3)
• Tampering with evidence (F3)
• Possession of paraphernalia (M1)

When Rivers was asked if he sold marijuana, he said yes and that he was in the process of flushing it down the toilet after he heard the detectives announce they were there to serve a search warrant. His criminal history includes 15 felonies and 6 misdemeanors, for heroin possession, marijuana possession, maintaining a structure to use drugs, fleeing to elude, tampering with evidence, forgery, criminal use of personal ID, petit theft, resisting arrest, and probation violation.

Gary Scott, DOB 02/14/1991, charged with: 
• Trafficking in heroin (F1)
• Possession of heroin with intent to sell (WITS) (F2)
• Possession of a structure to traffic drugs (F2)
• Possession of marijuana WITS (F3)
• Possession of marijuana over 20 grams (F3)
• Tampering with evidence (F3)
• Possession of paraphernalia (M1)

When Scott was asked about the illegal narcotics in the home he said, "okay I'll take the blame for everything," and admitted to trying to flush "heroin and weed" down the toilet. His criminal history includes 2 felonies and 8 misdemeanors, for battery domestic violence, marijuana possession, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of paraphernalia, probation violation, and DWLSR.

Andrea Kinsler, DOB 08/24/1992, charged with: 
• Possession of heroin with intent to sell (WITS) (F2)
• Possession of paraphernalia (M1)

She was released after posting $1,500 bond. Her criminal history includes two misdemeanors for filing a false police report, and DWLSR.

Andrea's sister, Dameshia Kinsler (DOB 10/30/90), arrived on-scene during the search warrants and arrests, and attempted to go underneath the crime scene tape to gain access to the house. She was warned numerous times by detectives not to cross the crime scene tape during their investigation, but she ignored their commands. She was arrested for resisting arrest, a first-degree misdemeanor. She was released after posting $500.00 bond. Her criminal history includes 5 felonies and 4 misdmeanors, for marijuana possession, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, giving false info to a pawn dealer, failure to appear, and probation violation. 

There were four children between the ages of 5 and 10 years old in the home at the time of the investigation. They were turned over to family members, and DCF was notified.