INSIDER
Keys woman who drowned puppy back in jail for attempt to burglarize animal shelter, deputies say
Read full article: Keys woman who drowned puppy back in jail for attempt to burglarize animal shelter, deputies sayRoughly 24 hours after she bonded out of the Monroe County jail after deputies accused her of drowning her Schnauzer puppy, Delaine Lowry was back behind bars after authorities said she tried to break into an animal shelter Wednesday to “steal dogs that previously belonged to her.”
Man caught street racing in Marathon with 5-year-old in car, cops say; 2 jailed
Read full article: Man caught street racing in Marathon with 5-year-old in car, cops say; 2 jailedDeputies in the Florida Keys arrested two men for street racing along U.S. 1 in Marathon Friday evening, authorities said. One of them, they said, had a child in the car.
Feds arrest 27 in South Florida cocaine trafficking case, including boat racing team owner
Read full article: Feds arrest 27 in South Florida cocaine trafficking case, including boat racing team ownerMore than two dozen people, mainly from the Florida Keys and Miami-Dade County, have been arrested by the FBI after authorities accused them of trafficking cocaine, officials with the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.
Marathon man gets 3 years for attacking cops with ‘chemical irritant’ on Jan. 6
Read full article: Marathon man gets 3 years for attacking cops with ‘chemical irritant’ on Jan. 6A Washington, D.C. federal judge handed down a prison sentence of more than three years to a South Florida man who pleaded guilty to attacking police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, officials announced Tuesday.
Sheriff: 5 jailed in Keys part of ‘very well organized’ human trafficking operation
Read full article: Sheriff: 5 jailed in Keys part of ‘very well organized’ human trafficking operationMonroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay says four men and one woman arrested on smuggling charges in the Florida Keys are part of a sophisticated human trafficking operation.
Family IDs Marathon personal watercraft crash victims as father, 8-year-old son
Read full article: Family IDs Marathon personal watercraft crash victims as father, 8-year-old sonFamily members have identified the victims of a deadly personal watercraft crash in Marathon Tuesday evening as a man and his young son.
Warrant: Jailed Keys deputy sent teen ‘drug dealer’ boyfriend info on raids, informants
Read full article: Warrant: Jailed Keys deputy sent teen ‘drug dealer’ boyfriend info on raids, informantsA 40-year-old South Florida cop illegally accessed law enforcement databases and sent her teenage “drug dealer” boyfriend information on impending drug raids and confidential informants in the Florida Keys, according to an arrest warrant obtained by Local 10 News on Thursday.
Marathon Oil reaches $241 million settlement with EPA for environmental violations in North Dakota
Read full article: Marathon Oil reaches $241 million settlement with EPA for environmental violations in North DakotaThe federal government announced a $241.5 million settlement with Marathon Oil on Thursday for alleged air quality violations at the company’s oil and gas operations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota.
Marathon man jailed after dog locked in vehicle for ‘several hours’ dies, sheriff says
Read full article: Marathon man jailed after dog locked in vehicle for ‘several hours’ dies, sheriff saysA 69-year-old Marathon man is facing an animal cruelty charge after authorities said a “dog had been locked in a vehicle for several hours with no food or water and later died.”
MCSO: Miramar man caught with fake credit cards, personal information of numerous victims
Read full article: MCSO: Miramar man caught with fake credit cards, personal information of numerous victimsA 29-year-old Miramar man was arrested Thursday by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office following a traffic stop in Marathon in which multiple fake credit cards were found, along with IDs, phones, computers and the personal information of others, authorities said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis distributes $5 million for artificial coral reef projects in Florida Keys
Read full article: Gov. Ron DeSantis distributes $5 million for artificial coral reef projects in Florida KeysFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis is holding a press news conference at a restaurant in Marathon Wednesday morning.
Marathon man hurled hatchet into boat, ‘narrowly missing’ victim’s head, deputies say
Read full article: Marathon man hurled hatchet into boat, ‘narrowly missing’ victim’s head, deputies sayA man fresh off probation yelled racial slurs at another boater as he passed by in his dinghy off Marathon, then flung a hatchet through the victim’s cabin window, according to an arrest report obtained by Local 10 News on Thursday.
New details: Witness says fatal Keys beating began with stolen valor accusation, report states
Read full article: New details: Witness says fatal Keys beating began with stolen valor accusation, report statesA convicted felon admitted to detectives that he “may have gone ‘overboard’” in repeatedly punching a man at a Marathon park over the weekend, leading to his death, according to an arrest report obtained by Local 10 News on Tuesday.
Police: Convicted felon kills homeless man at public park in Florida Keys
Read full article: Police: Convicted felon kills homeless man at public park in Florida KeysA 37-year-old homeless construction worker was at the Monroe County Jail’s Key West facility on Sunday accused of killing a 54-year-old man at a public park.
‘Scooby’ the sea turtle is on the mend, ready to be released back into the ocean
Read full article: ‘Scooby’ the sea turtle is on the mend, ready to be released back into the oceanA beloved sea turtle named "Scooby" is finally on the mend, after marine scientists at The Turtle Hospital in Marathon help save her.
‘About time he got caught’: Relative of Keys pastor accused of sex crime fears more victims out there
Read full article: ‘About time he got caught’: Relative of Keys pastor accused of sex crime fears more victims out therePastor and accused child sex criminal Monte Chitty faced a Monroe County judge again Monday, a little more than two weeks after the 62-year-old returned to the Keys following his capture in Texas.
Marathon man accused of spraying ‘chemical irritant’ on cop during Jan. 6 riot pleads guilty
Read full article: Marathon man accused of spraying ‘chemical irritant’ on cop during Jan. 6 riot pleads guiltyA South Florida man arrested last August — along with his wife — on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol entered a guilty plea in Washington federal court Tuesday.
Knife-wielding Keys man tells victim he’ll ‘stick him like a pig’ after he ‘giggled,’ cops say
Read full article: Knife-wielding Keys man tells victim he’ll ‘stick him like a pig’ after he ‘giggled,’ cops sayRobert Allen Biser smirked in his Monroe County mugshot after being arrested on a felony charge, but, according to the sheriff’s office, another man told deputies that the 43-year-old got violent over something he didn’t think was a laughing matter at all.
Judge sets $1.4M bond for pastor accused of fleeing to Texas after sexually abusing girl in Florida Keys
Read full article: Judge sets $1.4M bond for pastor accused of fleeing to Texas after sexually abusing girl in Florida KeysA 62-year-old man who served as a First Baptist Church pastor when a teenage girl accused him of giving her a spiked alcoholic drink and sexually abusing her appeared in court on Saturday in the Florida Keys.
Pastor accused of sexually battering teen back in Keys jail after capture in Texas
Read full article: Pastor accused of sexually battering teen back in Keys jail after capture in TexasMarathon pastor Monte Chitty appeared sullen, with his head down, as two uniformed sheriff’s deputies led him from a van into the Key West jail Friday following his capture in Texas earlier in the month.
Marathon pastor accused of sexually battering teen in church is now a fugitive
Read full article: Marathon pastor accused of sexually battering teen in church is now a fugitiveA South Florida pastor accused of sexually battering a 15-year-old girl in his church became a wanted man Monday after skipping out on scheduled court hearings. He’s believed to be on the run.
Report reveals graphic texts cops say Marathon pastor sent teen after sexual battery
Read full article: Report reveals graphic texts cops say Marathon pastor sent teen after sexual batteryA newly-released arrest report details explicit text messages that deputies say a Marathon pastor sent a 15-year-old girl after plying her with alcohol and sexually battering her while she was passed out on a couch in his church’s library.
Marathon pastor accused of sexually battering 15-year-old girl at church
Read full article: Marathon pastor accused of sexually battering 15-year-old girl at churchDeputies arrested a South Florida pastor Monday morning after they accused him of sexually battering an intoxicated 15-year-old girl at his church.
Marathon man accused of taking upskirt video at Publix
Read full article: Marathon man accused of taking upskirt video at PublixDeputies in the Florida Keys say a Marathon man used his cellphone camera to record under a woman’s dress at Publix — but he was on camera too, leading to his arrest on a video voyeurism charge.
Man ‘threw’ woman in argument over marijuana smoke in Marathon, sheriff says
Read full article: Man ‘threw’ woman in argument over marijuana smoke in Marathon, sheriff saysAn argument over weed ended in a 37-year-old man facing multiple felonies in the Florida Keys Tuesday afternoon, according to deputies.
Feds capture Wisconsin man wanted in Keys on rape, child pornography charges
Read full article: Feds capture Wisconsin man wanted in Keys on rape, child pornography chargesAuthorities have captured a Wisconsin man wanted in South Florida after the FBI accused him of raping minors and sharing child sexual abuse material images and videos with an undercover federal agent in an online chatroom while he was living on a boat with his wife and seven children earlier this year.
Trio of Outlaws motorcycle gang members from South Florida arrested, sheriff says
Read full article: Trio of Outlaws motorcycle gang members from South Florida arrested, sheriff saysThree men affiliated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club biker gang were arrested after a traffic stop in the Florida Keys turned up guns and drugs on Monday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Man airlifted after accidentally shooting self at Miami Gardens gas station
Read full article: Man airlifted after accidentally shooting self at Miami Gardens gas stationMedics airlifted a man to a local hospital after he accidentally shot himself at a gas station in Miami Gardens Wednesday morning, according to police.
Woman was hiding fentanyl and cocaine in her body, Keys deputies say
Read full article: Woman was hiding fentanyl and cocaine in her body, Keys deputies sayA scan revealed a 41-year-old woman was hiding fentanyl, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine in her body, deputies in the Florida Keys reported on Monday.
Sheriff: Florida man tased, arrested after firing gun in air while drunk in Marathon
Read full article: Sheriff: Florida man tased, arrested after firing gun in air while drunk in MarathonA 37-year-old man was tased and arrested Friday after deputies said he fired a gun in public while fleeing from officers in Marathon.
Sea turtle dies after being shot with spear in Keys; reward offered for arrest
Read full article: Sea turtle dies after being shot with spear in Keys; reward offered for arrestThe Turtle Hospital in Marathon is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect who shot a loggerhead turtle in the head with a spear, the organization’s manager said Tuesday.
In warning to public, Keys sheriff says notorious biker gangs behind local toy drives
Read full article: In warning to public, Keys sheriff says notorious biker gangs behind local toy drivesMonroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay is urging to public to be aware of holiday toy drives that are being hosted by the Pagans Outlaw Motorcycle Club, one of South Florida’s most notorious gangs.
Keys man threatens to ‘launch rockets’ at military aircraft in Marathon, deputies say
Read full article: Keys man threatens to ‘launch rockets’ at military aircraft in Marathon, deputies sayA man from the Florida Keys could be spending some time behind bars after deputies accused him of threatening to shoot down a U.S. Navy aircraft that flew over his home in Marathon this week.
Over 20 Cuban migrants in custody after smuggling operation busted in Keys, official says
Read full article: Over 20 Cuban migrants in custody after smuggling operation busted in Keys, official saysAuthorities with the U.S. Border Patrol and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stopped a suspected human smuggling operation involving more than 20 migrants Thursday morning.
Marathon couple accused in Jan. 6 attack faces judge, tells Local 10 about ‘dramatic’ arrests
Read full article: Marathon couple accused in Jan. 6 attack faces judge, tells Local 10 about ‘dramatic’ arrestsA Marathon couple arrested by federal agents Monday on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol faced a federal judge in Key West Tuesday.
Sheriff spots boat sinking off Florida Keys, 5 rescued
Read full article: Sheriff spots boat sinking off Florida Keys, 5 rescuedMonroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay spotted a sinking boat as he drove along U.S. 1 Thursday, leading a deputy to rescue five men from the waterlogged vessel, according to a sheriff’s office spokesperson.
‘Taking its toll’: Soaring Keys water temps threaten coral reefs — and livelihoods
Read full article: ‘Taking its toll’: Soaring Keys water temps threaten coral reefs — and livelihoodsScientists and meteorologists are sounding the alarm about high water temperatures in the Florida Keys, and the damage being done to the coral reef.
Florida men face grand theft charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of gallons of used cooking oil
Read full article: Florida men face grand theft charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of gallons of used cooking oilWhy would anyone want to steal about 300 gallons of used cooking oil from a holding tank at a restaurant in the Florida Keys? It happened on Tuesday in Marathon, according to the Monroe Sheriff’s Office.
Border Patrol seizes over $1 million worth of cocaine, hashish in Florida Keys
Read full article: Border Patrol seizes over $1 million worth of cocaine, hashish in Florida KeysFederal agents seized over $1 million worth of cocaine and hashish in the Florida Keys over the past week, a top U.S. Border Patrol official confirmed Wednesday.
Sheriff: Man arrested after 64 bricks of cocaine found on sailboat in Marathon
Read full article: Sheriff: Man arrested after 64 bricks of cocaine found on sailboat in MarathonA 32-year-old man was arrested Monday after authorities found nearly 170 pounds of cocaine on his sailboat during a search in Marathon, deputies said.
Man accused of shooting into Marathon mobile home during crowded party
Read full article: Man accused of shooting into Marathon mobile home during crowded partyDeputies in the Florida Keys arrested an 18-year-old man after they said he shot into a mobile home in Marathon during a crowded party late Sunday night.
Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of 'hostile' laws
Read full article: Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of 'hostile' lawsThe NAACP over the weekend issued a travel advisory for Florida, joining two other civil rights groups in warning potential tourists that recent laws championed by Gov_ Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers are “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.”.
‘Like I got hit by an F-150′: Spearfisherman recounts being bitten by shark in Florida Keys
Read full article: ‘Like I got hit by an F-150′: Spearfisherman recounts being bitten by shark in Florida KeysThe Monroe County Sheriff’s office released bodycam footage Friday after responding to a man who was bitten in the leg by a shark in Marathon.
As locals struggle to afford housing, Keys officials forced to get creative to solve squeeze
Read full article: As locals struggle to afford housing, Keys officials forced to get creative to solve squeezeAs more tourists come to the Florida Keys, some of whom are buying second homes, more residents are having a harder time finding an affordable place to live.
Keys residents struggling to find another home after balcony collapses at apartment complex
Read full article: Keys residents struggling to find another home after balcony collapses at apartment complexNearly one month after a concrete balcony collapsed at an apartment complex in the Florida Keys, many residents said they are still looking for a place to stay after the building was deemed unsafe by Marathon city officials.
Video shows racers thrown from powerboat in rough Florida Keys waters
Read full article: Video shows racers thrown from powerboat in rough Florida Keys watersWild video making the rounds online shows a powerboat spinning out in rough waters in the Florida Keys. In seconds, two people are seen being ejected from the vessel and thrown into the water.
Man accused of kneeing deputy in face after indecent exposure call in Marathon
Read full article: Man accused of kneeing deputy in face after indecent exposure call in MarathonA Jupiter man faced multiple charges after sheriff’s officials accused him of kneeing a deputy in the face at a Marathon motel Sunday afternoon.
Marathon woman awakes at 2 a.m. to burglar atop her, deputies say
Read full article: Marathon woman awakes at 2 a.m. to burglar atop her, deputies sayA Marathon woman awoke to a horrifying surprise over the weekend, leading to deputies to arrest an accused burglar Wednesday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
2 rehabilitated Sea turtles released on Earth Day in Florida Keys
Read full article: 2 rehabilitated Sea turtles released on Earth Day in Florida KeysTwo rehabilitated green sea turtles were released back to their ocean home off the Florida Keys Saturday to mark Earth Day, according to the Florida Keys News Bureau.
Monroe County deputies urging others to protect themselves from online scammers
Read full article: Monroe County deputies urging others to protect themselves from online scammersThe Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of scammers posing as computer professionals over the phone with residents looking to resolve technical issues, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Man wanted for murder in Marathon overdose death captured in Oklahoma
Read full article: Man wanted for murder in Marathon overdose death captured in OklahomaA man wanted for murder in connection to a Marathon overdose death is set to be extradited back to the Florida Keys after Oklahoma authorities captured him over the weekend.
Woman faces murder charge over fentanyl death in Florida Keys
Read full article: Woman faces murder charge over fentanyl death in Florida KeysA 23-year-old woman was facing a murder charge on Thursday in the Florida Keys after detectives accused her of selling the fentanyl that caused a 53-year-old woman’s death.
Boil water notice lifted following 3rd Florida Keys water line break in just a few days
Read full article: Boil water notice lifted following 3rd Florida Keys water line break in just a few daysThe Sandbar Sports Grill in Key West was having to use bagged ice and bottled water on Tuesday morning after the third water line break in just a few days.
Fighting words? These insults turned Keys threesome violent, according to police report
Read full article: Fighting words? These insults turned Keys threesome violent, according to police reportAccording to a newly-obtained Monroe County Sheriff’s Office report, two genital-centric insults turned a Marathon threesome into a tussle that ended with hurt feelings and a cinder block thrown through a car window.
Coast Guard: Migrants on makeshift raft rescued in Florida Straits
Read full article: Coast Guard: Migrants on makeshift raft rescued in Florida StraitsU.S. Coast Guard crews rescued a small group of migrants Sunday as they traveled in a makeshift sailing raft in the Straits of Florida Sunday afternoon.
New video shows shocked deputies discovering endangered Key deer stuffed in SUV
Read full article: New video shows shocked deputies discovering endangered Key deer stuffed in SUVOn an early morning in July 2022, deputies said they pulled over Yoankis Hernandez Pena, 38, and Andres Leon Valdes, 45, near Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon and found an injured deer inside their vehicle, on top of a cooler, lawn chairs and other various objects.
Man accused of head-butting, threatening to kill deputies in Florida Keys
Read full article: Man accused of head-butting, threatening to kill deputies in Florida KeysA 41-year-old man from Marathon was arrested early Wednesday morning after he assaulted deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, authorities said.
Florida Keys man found with cocaine after breaking into home, deputies say
Read full article: Florida Keys man found with cocaine after breaking into home, deputies sayA 31-year-old Marathon man was arrested Friday for breaking into a residence, damaging property and refusing to leave, deputies said.
Florida Keys officials plead for more federal help to deal with migrant crisis
Read full article: Florida Keys officials plead for more federal help to deal with migrant crisisMonroe County commissioners asked for more federal resources to deal with the ongoing migrant crisis in the Florida Keys, passing a resolution as they met Wednesday morning in Marathon.
State resources deployed in Florida Keys in response to migrant surge
Read full article: State resources deployed in Florida Keys in response to migrant surgeAs migrants, primarily from Cuba and Haiti, continue to arrive in the Florida Keys, more state law enforcement officials are now joining the efforts to tackle the unprecedented crisis.
Officials take over 50 migrants into custody in Florida Keys as state resources begin offering assistance
Read full article: Officials take over 50 migrants into custody in Florida Keys as state resources begin offering assistanceSeveral dozen migrants were taken into custody on Sunday in the Florida Keys.
DeSantis activates National Guard amid migrant surge in Florida Keys
Read full article: DeSantis activates National Guard amid migrant surge in Florida KeysHomemade boats became part of the landscape in the mangroves and on the beaches of the Florida Keys, as the onslaught of migrant landings continued overnight into Friday.
Cuban migrants flow into Florida Keys, overwhelm officials
Read full article: Cuban migrants flow into Florida Keys, overwhelm officialsMore than 500 Cuban immigrants have come ashore in the Florida Keys since the weekend, the latest in a large and increasing number who are fleeing the communist island.
Monroe County woman arrested after striking bicyclist in hit-and-run, deputies say
Read full article: Monroe County woman arrested after striking bicyclist in hit-and-run, deputies sayA 36-year-old Marathon woman was arrested Wednesday after striking a bicyclist before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
Florida Keys boat captain reunites with migrants he helped rescue
Read full article: Florida Keys boat captain reunites with migrants he helped rescueBoat captain Chris Lassen said he’ll never forget the morning of October 31st when he saw the pair, along with two men, floating in what looked like pieces of a boat or raft.
Sheriff: Couple arrested in Keys after toddler found covered in roaches
Read full article: Sheriff: Couple arrested in Keys after toddler found covered in roachesDeputies in the Florida Keys arrested a Fort Myers couple on child abuse and drug charges after they found a 2-year-old child in “squalid” conditions, authorities said Wednesday.
Men and dog missing for 10 days amid journey to Florida Keys found on powerless sailboat
Read full article: Men and dog missing for 10 days amid journey to Florida Keys found on powerless sailboatAmid a planned journey to the Florida Keys, two men and a pet dog were rescued from a sailboat without power or fuel more than 200 miles off Delaware, 10 days after friends and relatives had last heard from them, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.