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.

Sep 28, 2023

PCSO charges three teens with numerous felonies, including attempted 2nd degree murder, following drive-by shootings in Lakeland

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

A drive-by shooting in west Lakeland early Wednesday morning, September 27, 2023, culminated with the arrests of three teens by Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives.

No one was injured in the shooting which occurred at about 1:26 AM Wednesday at a residence in the area of Chestnut Road and West Parker Street in an unincorporated area of Lakeland.

“While investigating this shooting, our detectives found that it was linked to two other drive-by shootings. The same three suspects were out there putting innocent lives at risk, motivated by revenge—in essence because their feelings were hurt that the victims didn’t want to be around them anymore. And of course there was some social media drama thrown in there as well. They wanted to act like some big bad-boys, and now they’re charged with big bad-boy crimes.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

A total of nine bullet casings were recovered from the scene Thursday, with damages to a vehicle parked at the home and to the mailbox.

The suspects were identified immediately as having ongoing issues with the victim and his friend.

The victim told detectives that he and his friend stopped associating with the suspects, and that didn’t sit well with them. The victim’s friend has been a victim of two drive-by shootings, one on August 9th and the other on September 20th. The PCSO has been investigating those two cases already.

The victim also informed investigators of recent threats he has received from the suspects via text messages and social media.

During the investigation, a firearm believed to have been involved in the shootings was seized from the home of one of the suspects. Another firearm being sought has not yet been located.

In each one of the shootings, there were four people inside the residences, all of whom were uninjured.

PCSO detectives interviewed the three suspects and ultimately arrested them for all three drive-by shootings. They are:

- Bryann Charles, 17, from Lakeland.

- Aryann Charles, 16, from Lakeland (Bryann and Aryann are

brothers).

- Delfino Perez-Garcia, 14, from Lakeland.

Each suspect was charged with: Attempted 2nd Degree Murder (F1, 12-counts), Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling (F2, 3-counts), Shooting from a Vehicle (F2, 3-counts), Shooting in a Residential Area (M1, 3-counts), Improper Exhibition of a Firearm (M1, 3-counts), Possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18 (M1, 3-counts), and Culpable Negligence (M2, 3-counts).