News & Updates

A Fort Walton Beach couple faces felony animal cruelty and other charges after deputies responded to a complaint of a man beating a dog with a piece of lumber and then holding it down by its neck with the lumber pushed against its throat. Okaloosa County deputies went...

A Fort Walton Beach man who burglarized a Destin home two days ago was tracked down by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies after he turned on one of two stolen Apple MacBook computers. 24-year old Joseph Michael Kriech of 206 Hawthorne Circle in Fort Walton...

Sheriff Larry Ashley today announced that the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has arrested an OCSO deputy on a felony charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. 31-year old Deputy Christopher Ball, who has been with the agency less than one year, is also...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has identified and arrested five teenagers involved in a felony criminal mischief incident in the Fort Walton Beach area May 3rd. Investigators say the five teens, whose images were captured on a home surveillance camera, went to a...

A Fort Walton Beach teen faces charges ranging from leaving the scene of an accident and careless driving to DUI. Deputy Steve Baldwin spotted a silver Hyundai around 4:30 last night that matched the description of a car that had collided earlier with several...

A Destin woman says two men forced her into a cream colored car outside her Destin home before one a.m. this morning, but her boyfriend was able to thwart their kidnapping attempt. The 22 year old told deputies that she had walked out of her driveway on Sandalwood...

A Destin woman says two men forced her into a cream colored car outside her Destin home before one a.m. this morning, but her boyfriend was able to thwart their kidnapping attempt. The 22 year old told deputies that she had walked out of her driveway on Sandalwood...

Chances are good someone in the public has vital information that can help the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office solve a Fort Walton Beach murder that happened one year ago. The OCSO has been continually working the case and has conducted numerous interviews. However...

William Eddins, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, announced today that Circuit Judge John T. Brown sentenced Corey Landon McComas to 15.1 years in State Prison with fifteen years to be served as a minimum mandatory sentence following his plea of no...

In conjunction with the City of Destin, The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office will be conducting a Sobriety Check Point on Mountain Drive in Destin this Saturday, April 19th, between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and midnight. Each vehicle traveling east on Mountain Drive...

A recently released prison inmate who pretended to be an airline pilot as a means to scam his way into vacation rental homes and steal belongings is now charged by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office with grand theft, providing false information for pawned items, and...

Agents of the Okaloosa County Multi-Agency Drug Task Force executed a narcotics search warrant today at 21 Chatelaine Circle in Fort Walton Beach. They seized approximately one pound of high-grade marijuana that was packaged for sale, along with drug paraphernalia...

William Eddins, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, announced today that Brandon Cade Gillreath has been designated as a Sexual Predator and sentenced to the Department of Corrections to serve 4 consecutive 30 year sentences (120 yrs total) upon completion...

OCSO School Resource Officers are spearheading a fundraiser to benefit disadvantaged youngsters who attend a special summer camp to have a fun-filled week and learn leadership skills. Okaloosa SRO’s attend the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch “Camp Caruth” each summer to...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has charged a Fort Walton Beach couple with child neglect after finding three youngsters in a filthy home on Colton Way that had no running water and evidence of drug use. Deputies say the children were dirty and there was very...

Scam Alert! Con artists strike Gulf Power customers again Gulf Power customers in Okaloosa County have reported new cases of credit card fraud. Gulf Power is asking its customers to beware of people impersonating utility company employees. The scenario plays out like...

SEXUAL PREDATOR NEW ADDRESS NOTIFICATION - Bridgett Fair View Full Press Release

A bicyclist killed when she was struck by a pick-up truck near the intersection of Highway 98 and Vinings Way in Destin has been identified as a 20-year old from Bangkok Thailand. Investigators say Parichat Chatmas of 251 Vinings Way was trying to cross Highway 98...

Two Baker residents caught in the act while burglarizing a Santa Rosa County business last month will also be charged in connection with a string of church burglaries in Northwest Florida, including Okaloosa County. 26-year old Westley Steiner and 20-year old...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office wants to warn the public of a phone scam involving a man claiming to be a Lieutenant with the agency. He is telling people there is a warrant for their arrest and they need to send him money to clear it up. He has also set up a...