From Prison To Perpetrator: Polk County Man Arrested Less Than 3 Weeks After Prison Release

Just weeks after being released from prison, a 23-year-old man finds himself back behind bars.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Stephan Rice IV, who was released from a four-year sentence for grand theft motor vehicle on June 12, 2025, is back in police custody. According to a detective with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), Rice burglarized a vehicle in Polk City and stole a wallet on June 30, less than three weeks after his release.

A credit card from the stolen wallet was used to purchase approximately $765. A warrant was issued for Rice’s arrest.

On Tuesday, just after midnight, PCSO deputies located and arrested Rice without incident at a Circle K store on Commonwealth Avenue in Polk City. He faces multiple charges, including burglary of a conveyance, grand theft, felony petit theft, and unlawful use of a person’s ID…

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