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 Meghan Petty. 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.

Jan 21, 2025

PCSO arrests sex offender who was hanging out near children at a bus stop

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

The Polk county Sheriff's Office made an arrest Friday, January 17, 2024, after an alert citizen in Poinciana saw something suspicious, and reported it to deputies.

At around 8:25 am, the witness noticed a man standing amongst small children at a school bus stop and felt that there was just something not quite right about the unknown man.

Deputies arrived and made contact with the suspect; he was identified as 37-year old Jonathan Louis of Poinciana.

Louis told deputies that he lived near the bus stop, but had no children who go to school. He was unable to provide deputies with a reason why he was hanging out at a school bus stop.

A check of Louis' background revealed that he is a registered sex offender since a conviction in Lake County back in 2004 for Lewd & Lascivious Battery (victim 12-15yrs).

After his release from jail in December of 2024, Louis failed to notify his parole officer as required, to report where he was residing.

Jonathan Louis was arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail where he was charged with Violation of Probation for Failure to Register, and Loitering by Sex Offender within 300-feet of Children.