The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, alongside the Violent Gang Investigative Task Force (VGITF), has arrested 19 gang members linked to drive-by shootings, felony offenses, and a fatal stabbing. These gang members were responsible for violent inter-gang conflicts across Winter Haven, Haines City, and the Waverly area.
“The bad blood between these gangs stems in part, from a desire to ‘show off’ on social media, and an apparent need for notoriety from their peers. They create rap songs, bragging about the crimes that they commit and share them amongst each other,” the official press release notes, in part.
Several gang members with extensive criminal histories were arrested, including:
- Courtney Brown (21): Charged with directing gang activities. Brown’s history includes possession of a weapon on school property and carrying a concealed weapon.
- Teville Burgess (19): Arrested for a probation violation and previously charged with carrying a concealed weapon and vehicle theft.
- Jonathon Scarvers Jr. (20): Charged with 13 counts of attempted 1st-degree murder and 2 counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. Scarvers’ past includes weapons charges and possession of a controlled substance.
- Alejandro Mercedes (16): Facing 14 counts of attempted 1st-degree murder, Mercedes has a history of vehicle theft, burglary, and discharging a weapon.