News & Updates

A gunman killed after he fired at Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies September 21st in Destin has been identified as 45-year old Berlin Gonzales. Deputies were called to Sailmaker Lane in Destin after getting reports of an armed disturbance at a home under...

A Mary Esther man taken into custody in April following a bond revocation now faces three felony narcotics charges after a search warrant turned up methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in the car he was driving. The Volkswagon was towed to the Okaloosa County...

A Crestview man who faced a half dozen charges after fleeing an attempted traffic stop had two more felonies added after deputies served a search warrant on his residence: trafficking in fentanyl and trafficking in methamphetamine. An Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office...

An investigation into a dispute over a home remodeling project in Mary Esther led to charges of grand theft and engaging in contracting without certification against a Fort Walton Beach man. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrested 44-year old Robert Brezeale...

Sheriff Eric Aden today praised the composure and training of Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies confronted by an armed man who fired shots during a domestic violence related incident in Destin Wednesday. When the 45-year old suspect fired at two deputies who...

One person is dead after deputies responding to a call of an armed disturbance encountered a man chasing a woman inside the Regatta Bay Community in Destin. No deputies were injured. Investigators say it appears to have been a domestic violence situation, with the...

A new missing boater public alert notification system to aid in the search for missing/endangered boaters and kayakers has now been launched as the result of a collaborative effort between the City of Destin, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, and the Okaloosa...

A young employee outside a Fort Walton Beach area restaurant rushed to help a screaming woman holding a baby this afternoon after a man grabbed her keys and tried to take her car. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged 43-year old William Branch of DeFuniak...

A Fort Walton Beach High School student is charged with sending an electronic message of himself holding a knife and threatening to kill another student. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged 15-year old Lincoln Wathen with sending a threat to kill or...

A student at Choctawhatchee High School was taken into custody today after a classmate reported he threatened her verbally and with a pocketknife. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged 15-year old Miles Veech with possession of a weapon on school property...

Three people face various charges after Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies pursued and stopped a stolen car fleeing from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office into Okaloosa County Monday night. The car, a 2014 Honda Accord, had been reported stolen out of Fort...

In June 2022, an investigation began involving the possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a laptop computer which was turned over to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. 72-year old Harold Benedict, a registered sexual predator, was identified as the...

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, Florida. Named...

A mother and son were arrested this morning near Crestview after one fled an attempted traffic stop and the other interfered with a deputy attempting to arrest her. A deputy spotted 62-year old Venetia Berry driving a truck with the wrong license attached, but Berry...

A Crestview area man is in custody following an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office investigation into reports he threatened the life of his girlfriend and her family. commandeered her social media accounts, and violated the conditions of a domestic violence protection...

A Fort Walton Beach area man is recovering from three stab wounds after he was attacked at a home off Pinewood Trace Saturday evening. The 31-year old victim was taken to a local hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He is expected to survive. 24-year old...

A Colorado man was taken into custody Tuesday for the robbery of a Fort Walton Beach area convenience story August 14th. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged 38-year old Ryan Cardwell-Belshe of Colorado Springs with robbery without a weapon. Investigators...

A man living in Okaloosa County only two weeks is now charged with attempted bank robbery as well as failure to register as a sexual offender. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's office was able to track down 45-year old Kirk Losey in connection with a robbery attempt at...

An investigation launched after the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Airport Security Unit became aware of suspicious activity ultimately led to the arrest of a Mary Esther man in connection with items stolen from luggage at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. 19-year...

Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies serving a felony warrant on a Crestview man wanted by another agency for aggravated stalking added five OCSO charges after he was found with fetanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Deputies on patrol near School Avenue around 7...