News and Investigations

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, Crime Suppression Teams and the Florida Department of Corrections and Probation conducted a Halloween sexual offender/predator compliance initiative during the month of October, 2022. The operation was aimed at ensuring compliance with Florida's registration laws for convicted sex offenders and sex predators (FSS 775.21 & 943.0435) within Polk County*. Detectives charged 14 suspects with failure to comply with sex offender registrations laws, violation of probation or other charges.

"Protecting our children is a top priority, and our detectives work hard year-round to keep track of convicted sexual offenders and predators who reside in Polk County to ensure they remain compliant with the law. Parents and community members are concerned about predators and offenders being around children, especially during events and holidays like Halloween. That is why every year we conduct initiatives like this one to show sex offenders and predators that we take every one of the requirements seriously, and failure to comply will result in an arrest." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

There are 1,238 Sexual Offenders and 147 sexual predators registered in Polk County. These offenders and predators are checked every quarter by Polk detectives to ensure they are in compliance with Florida’s sexual offender/predator registration laws. The state requirement is for a check to be completed at least once a year. During the initiative Polk County Sheriff’s Office SVRT detectives accomplished the following:
 
• Compliance checks conducted: 990
• Compliance checks - in compliance: 951
• Compliance checks - not in compliance: 39
• Hours dedicated to this operation: 176
• Arrests: 13
• Warrants issued: 1
 
During the third quarter of 2022 (July, August, September) preceding October, detectives arrested 18 Sex Offenders or Predators for various violations.

The following is a list of those charged (14) during this compliance initiative, and a summary of their offenses during the Month of October:

Richard Corti, 52, a transient. Corti is a sexual offender based on a 2014 Polk County conviction for using a computer to solicit sex with a minor and lewd and lascivious sexual battery on a child between 12-15 years of age. Corti was arrested in October for violating his sex offender conditions by contacting the victim through text messages. Corti was charged with three counts Violation of Probation. 






William Wilson, 48, of 124 Caloosa Drive, Babson Park. Wilson is a sexual offender based upon a 1998 Suffolk County, New York conviction for 2nd degree rape. Deputies responded to a call regarding harassing phone calls. Deputies discovered that the victim had also been battered by Wilson. Wilson was arrested and charged with Battery (Domestic Violence).







Patrick Diello, 60, of 6651 Tackle Court, Lake Wales. Diello is a sexual offender based upon a 1993 Oneida County, New York conviction for sexual assault of an 11-year-old. Diello failed to notify his change of address to either the Polk County Sheriff's Office or the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 48 hours. Diello also provided false registration information on July 28, 2022 by registering a fake address instead of an actual address. Diello was arrested and charged with three counts of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Laws.



Daniel Jackson, 58, of 220 Pine Cone Drive, Davenport. Jackson is a sexual offender based on a 2011 conviction out of Orange County, Florida for unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Jackson failed to report to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office during his required month of September 2022. Jackson was arrested for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Laws.







Robert Johnson, 42, a transient. Johnson is a sexual offender based upon a 2005 Polk County conviction for lewd and lascivious battery on a child between 12-15 years of age. During an investigation, Johnson was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Oxycodone, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
 






David King, 43, of 1150 Stenstrom Road, Wauchula. King is a sexual offender based on a 2012 Cook County, Illinois conviction for aggravated sexual abuse of a victim between 13-16 years-old. Deputies responded to the River Ranch Resort to remove King from the property at the request of management. During the investigation, deputies discovered King was wanted in Hardee County for failing to notify his change of address to the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 48 hours. PCSO detectives arrested King for the Hardee County charges of three counts of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Laws. He is currently in the Polk County Jail and will be transferred to Hardee County.
  

Edward Balentine, 43, of 3011 Ivywood Lane, Lakeland. Balentine is a sexual offender based on a 1996 Wayne County, Michigan conviction for 3rd degree sexual conduct with a victim between 13-15 years-old. Balentine provided false registration information on September 1, 2022. Additionally, he failed to register two vehicles owned, a Facebook account and an Instagram account, a phone number, and a new employer. He was arrested and charged with seven counts of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Laws.
 


Bobby Beasley, 42, of 444 Leisure Place, Lakeland. Beasley is a sexual offender based upon a 2001 Polk County conviction for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16 years-old. Beasley was arrested for Violation of Probation after he tested positive for methamphetamine during a drug test administered by his probation officer. 







Troy Alderman, 55, of 1415 Dawn Heights Drive, Lakeland. Alderman is a sexual offender based upon a 2003 Polk County conviction for lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim between 12-15 years-old.  Alderman was arrested for Violation of Probation after he tested positive for illegal drugs during a test administered by his probation officer. 







Jere Temple, 71, of 5624 La Joya Court, Orlando. Temple is a sexual offender based upon a 2010 Polk County conviction for sexual battery on a victim between 12-18 years-old. Temple was arrested for Violation of Probation after she failed to comply with a mandatory curfew on September 18, 2022.
 







Martin Tobar, 59, of 1907 Ambassador Drive, Gulf Breeze, Florida. Tobar is a sexual offender based upon a 2007 conviction out of Sarphy County, Nebraska for 3rd degree sexual assault of a child. Deputies arrested Tobar for Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office charges for failure to provide registration information. He is in the Polk County Jail and will be transferred to Santa Rosa County.
 





James Thomas, 79, of 3577 Scenic Highway North #2, Lake Wales. Thomas is a sexual offender based upon a 1993 Gadsden County, Florida conviction for sexual battery of a child under 12-years-old. Thomas failed to register a vehicle he owned. Thomas was arrested and charged with Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Laws. At the time of his arrest, Thomas was on probation for the Gadsden County charge and was additionally charged with Violation of Probation.
 




Timothy Driggers, 37, of 4636 Weston Road, Bartow. Driggers is a sexual offender based upon a 2006 Holmes County, Florida conviction for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16 years-old. Deputies conducted a traffic stop after Driggers was observed failing to yield to the right of way when exiting a business. Driggers was in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Violation of Probation. Driggers was on probation for violation of sex offender registration at the time of his arrest.



Michael Akers, 43, of 2337 Mammoth Grove Road, Lake Wales. Akers is a sexual offender based upon a 1998 Volusia County conviction for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16 years-old. Akers failed to notify his change of address to either the Polk County Sheriff's Office or the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 48 hours. PCSO detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Akers for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Laws.
 




*Convicted sex offenders and sex predators are required by Florida law to register and maintain updated information regarding the following identifying information: name; social security number; age; race; sex; date of birth; height; weight; tattoos or other identifying marks; hair and eye color; photograph; address of legal residence (or temporary residence); electronic mail addresses; Internet identifiers and each Internet identifier's corresponding website homepage or application software name; home telephone numbers and cellular telephone numbers; employment information; driver's license or Florida ID information; the make, model, color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license tag number of all vehicles owned.