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 Carrie Horstman, Brian Bruchey, and Julianna Rivera. 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.

Jan 14, 2026

Lakeland man arrested for misuse of company credit card

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey

A Lakeland man was arrested Tuesday, January 13, 2026, for making unauthorized charges on the company-issued credit card.

37-year old Steven Douglas Carter of Lakeland was arrested at his residence following an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office that began in July of 2025.

The company where Carter was employed, Florida Utility Trailer of Polk City, reported that there were numerous fraudulent charges made on their company credit card-- a card to which Carter had access.

The investigation found that Carter made multiple unauthorized charges on the card with a total value of $2,179.61.

An arrest warrant was obtained for Carter, and on Tuesday evening, PCSO deputies went to his residence on Kinsman Way in Lakeland and arrested him without incident.

Steven Douglas Carter was booked-in at the Sheriff's Processing Center on the warrant, which charged him with: Scheming to Defraud (F2) and Grand Theft (F3).