News Cast for June 2nd:
An Okeechobee woman was sentenced to 26 months in prison and 10 years probation after she pled no contest to human trafficking related charges in Broward County.
Hannah Ellsworth was convicted of five counts of aggravated child abuse.
Plantation Police said Ellsworth took a 13 year old girl out of a foster home in November, 2021, and later set up sexual rendezvous with men in various motels over a four day period.
The sexual encounters were recorded on video and played on Snap Chat. Evidence was taken from the suspect’s cell phone that allegedly proved the accusations.
Ellsworth was accused of using various social media and internet applications to arrange for the child to have sex with random men for money.
The child said she was never paid for the ‘prostitution’ but was given food and shelter by the suspect.
Ellsworth faced up to 180 years behind bars and scored 322 months in prison.
The teen said she fled the motel room after being assaulted by two men and came into contact with Plantation Police.
Glades County Commissioner Jerry Sapp said the county should continue to work with the developers of Lakefront Estates to
have a public safety building constructed there with private funds.
He said the EMS, fire department and sheriff’s department could all use the facility.
“They are going to put in a lot of homes there and they are going to expect a lot from us. We should have a fire department, substation for the police and whatever else is necessary. Instead of us spending out money on the existing fire department, just a couple of miles away they would have everything there. I think that is very important.”
Sapp expressed concerns about proposals to end property taxes in Florida. He said Glades County if property taxes are down away with Glades County is in deep trouble due to a lack of other revenue sources.
State and federal officials are expecting another successful python challenge in the Florida Everglades this year.
The event is from July 11 at midnight to July 20th at 5 pm.
Registration began for hunters who can’t use firearm and hunting dogs. You must kill the python in a humane way.
Alligator Ron Bergerron with the SFWMD Governing Board said the snake has become the top of the food chain and has the ability to destroy the food chain in the Everglades. He said
without a healthy food chain you cannot have a healthy environment.
“Were not just saving the wildlife and gods landscaping, we are actually saving ourselves and future generations.”
The Okeechobee Historical Society recently had an unveiling of signs downtown and in Flagler Park that explains some of the historic and older buildings in Okeechobee.
Maggie Cable thanked the Okeechobee Tourist Development Council for a cash donation. She also thanked the city of Okeechobee for donating the time of workers to install and hang the signs.
Martin County Sheriff Deputies are asking for the public’s help after a man turned up dead near a popular mudfest location off the Martin Grade.
A white man in his late 30s was located covered in blood on the side of Martin Highway Saturday night, deputies said.
They are treating the investigation as a homicide.
They have not released the identity of the man and an autopsy was ordered in the case.
A 44 year old Highlands County man was charged with DUI manslaughter and DUI causing property damage for a fatal crash near Lorida on May 22.
Thomas Raulerson had a blood alcohol concentration level of .445, which is more than 550 percent the legal limit, when he was tested after the crash.
The crash killed a 16 year old Lake Placid girl on US 98 just west of the Arbuckle Creek Bridge.
Troopers said a F 350 Truck driven by Raulerson was in the wrong lane as it traveled northbound in the southbound lane at 4 pm.
One SUV saw the truck coming and veered off the road colliding with a construction barrel.
The victims vehicle was traveling behind the SUV, braked when the SUV veered off the roadway, and was then struck by the suspects truck head on.
The SFWMD shut down the S-193 Taylor Creek Boat Lock on the weekends until further notice due to the low levels in Lake Okeechobee.
The boat lock had been closed Monday-Friday since early May.
The lake levels remain below 11 feet.
Boaters can still get on the lake at various boat ramps including Lock 7, and Henry Creek.