Crime Archive

Beginning in 2018, the DEA and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office partnered in an investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization responsible for distributing kilogram amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl within Okaloosa County.

Named Operation Songbird, the years long investigation utilized numerous investigative techniques to identify members of the Drug Trafficking Organization and locations utilized by the Drug Trafficking Organization.

A Milton woman was arrested by Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents after an investigation alleging she defrauded Faith Baptist Church in Milton over a period of six years.

A Milton man is wanted for multiple charges, including grand theft of a firearm.

Garrett Lee Seimer, 22, is wanted for two counts of Burglary of a dwelling or structure or Conveyance armed, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance unarmed, larceny grand theft of a firearm, larceny, and damaged property with criminal mischief.

On July 9, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested six alleged online sexual predators. One of the six arrested is a Milton resident.

Jordan Scott Towery, 28, was arrested after he solicited sexual activity from an undercover officer, who was posing as a 14 year old girl. According to the arrest report, Towery drove to a predetermined location in Okaloosa County to meet the juvenile. Instead of being greeted by an underage girl, Towery was greeted by deputies with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Following several days of investigation, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office gave an update on the case of the body found floating in Jake’s Bayou in Milton on June 14.

In a June 17 press conference held by the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Bob Johnson identified the body of a man found in Jake’s Bayou as that of Joshua James. He was identified through fingerprint analysis.

A 29 year old Milton man was booked into jail on June 3 after investigators with the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office began looking into him following a traffic stop.

The man, Mark Anthony Frate, was stopped on June 3 after a sergeant with Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office noticed that Frate was driving down the road at four in the morning with a two year old in his lap. The two year old was unrestrained in the car.

On May 6, a 44-year-old Milton man drove his wife and stepdaughter home after his wife had car troubles. According to the arrest report, the man took them home in his work van, which has no backseats, leaving the stepdaughter unrestrained. His wife stated that on the drive, the 44-year-old was yelling, crying, swerving and slamming on the brakes, leaving the stepdaughter to be thrown around the back seat, injuring her wrist and leg.

A 37-year-old Pace man was seen exiting a backyard that he admitted was not his own. On May 7, An off-duty officer, who was monitoring the area for a home builder after several burglaries, saw the man leaving a residence’s backyard at 3 a.m. The officer approached the man, who stated he did not live in the area, nor did he know anyone in the area. When the 37-year-old was arrested for loitering and prowling, the officer found a pistol and ammunition on the man.

On May 8, a deputy responded to a disturbance in Milton. Upon arrival, the deputy found a 51-year-old man screaming on the front porch. According to the arrest report, the man stated that his mother locked him out of the house, and he could not get to his keys, which were later found inside his vehicle. The mother indicated that the 51-year-old came over for Mother’s Day but began to be irate.

The victim said she and her husband had been arguing when he slapped her in the face.