News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Mar 11, 2022

Two store clerks arrested for illegal alcohol sales

Media Contact: Alicia Manautou, PIO

The Polk County Sheriff's Office conducted an "Operation Pop-Top" on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at six different convenience stores in the Bartow, Eagle Lake, and Wahneta areas. The ongoing operation is designed to ensure that stores within the county are compliant with state laws by not selling alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age.

Deputies are assisted in the operation by a PCSO Explorer who makes the attempt to purchase alcohol. The Explorer program is for high school students who are interested in a career in law enforcement. In this particular operation, the Explorer 18-years-old.

Of the six stores visited Wednesday, only four of them were compliant.

The clerks at the RamRam Two, LLC at 4660 US 17 N. in Bartow and the Pilot Travel Center at 7990 SR 60 E. in Bartow allowed the Explorer to purchase an alcoholic beverage and they were criminally charged.

Arrested were: 46-year old Christina Hernandez (RamRam Two) and 21-year old Anaerica Bautista-Sanchez (Pilot Travel).

The four stores which refused to sell the alcoholic beverage to the Explorer were:
• Chevron (558 N 5th St.) in Eagle Lake
• Citgo Wahneta Food (3074 Rifle Range Rd.) in Wahneta
• Superway (3544 Rifle Range Rd.) in Wahneta
• Circle K (7695 SR 60 E.) in Bartow

“The stores and employees who were found to be in compliance with the law are to be congratulated. Each store and the employees must ensure that they do not sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21 years of age. We do these operations often, and we will hold stores and employees accountable.” - Grady Judd, Sheriff.