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 Alicia Manautou. 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.

Oct 14, 2020

Polk County Sheriff’s Office undercover drug trafficking investigation results in 3 arrests including two who are illegally in the country, and 7 kilos of methamphetamine seized

Media Contact: Alicia Manautou, PIO

Polk County Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives developed information in September of 2020 that a source of illegal narcotics was trafficking methamphetamine from Colorado to Polk County. Detectives developed information on a suspect in Arapahoe County, Colorado that resulted in three arrests. The latest arrest occurred last week in Denver, Colorado; the investigation continues regarding other possible suspects involved.

26-year-old Cristian Garcia-Cornejo (illegally in the United States from Mexico) of Denver, Colorado was arrested on October 5, 2020, and booked into the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office on a Polk County warrant for Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine over 200 Grams. Garcia-Cornejo is being held with no bond while awaiting extradition to Polk County. Garcia-Cornejo is being extradited to Polk County.

21-year-old Kevin Nieto-Figueroa (illegally in the United States from Mexico) of Senoia, Georgia was arrested on October 4, 2020, for Trafficking in Methamphetamine (F1), Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine (F1), and Possession of Paraphernalia (M1). Nieto-Figueroa was booked into the Polk County Jail and currently has an ICE hold.

20-year-old Myra Alejandra Meraz of Senoia, Georgia was arrested on October 4, 2020, for Trafficking in Methamphetamine (F1), Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine (F1), and Possession of Paraphernalia (M1). Meraz was booked into the Polk County Jail.

The investigation is as follows:

PCSO detectives arranged a face-to-face narcotics transaction. On October 4, 2020, PCSO detectives met Nieto-Figueroa and Meraz at an undisclosed location in Winter Haven. The two produced 5 kilograms (which has a street value of $400,000) hidden in a box from their vehicle and placed them into the back seat of the undercover vehicle.

Both Nieto-Figueroa and Meraz were placed under arrest and transported to the Polk County Jail.

During the investigation, it was learned that Nieto-Figueroa had picked up the methamphetamine in Atlanta. He had been communicating with someone in Mexico who had put him in touch with a distributer out of Colorado, identified as Garcia-Cornejo.
PCSO detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Garcia-Cornejo, and on October 5, 2020, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office arrested Garcia-Cornejo. He is currently being held at the Arapahoe County Jail with no bond awaiting extradition to Polk County.

“Those coming into our country illegally with the sole intent to commit crimes must be held accountable and ultimately returned to their country of origin. Through strong law enforcement partnerships and great detective work, our community is safer because these dangerous drugs – and dealers – have been removed from our streets. Methamphetamine destroys people and families—anyone who traffics and sells this poison is trafficking in death and destruction.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff