St. Johns County Sheriff's Office

This Memorial Day, #TeamSJSO is honoring the U.S. Military heroes who lost their lives while defending our country. May we always remember their courage and dedication to protecting our freedoms. #memorialday

The suspect, Derrick Walden (44), in the shooting deaths of Cody Bennett (21) and Tre’ Lyons (22) in November 2023, has been arrested and transferred from federal custody to the St. Johns County Jail. Walden is charged with two counts of First-Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

🎈 Happy birthday, Colonel Pruitt! 🎈 Today, #TeamSJSO had the honor of surprising retired Florida Army National Guard Colonel William Pruitt for his 106th birthday. We are truly grateful to celebrate with him and to recognize his incredible life of service and dedication.

#TeamSJSO apprehension K9 teams conducted water exposure training to strengthen readiness and environmental adaptability in water. Training in diverse environments ensures SJSO K9s are ready for every challenge.

𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office has arrested and charged Raggie Canty (61) with Organized Fraud, Use of Personal Information without Consent, Utter a Forged Instrument, Grand Theft, and Exploitation of Elderly. In March 2026, detectives responded to a delayed theft and fraud investigation. The investigation revealed Canty had been employed as the victim's caregiver since 2022. During that time, Canty stole jewelry, used the victim's personal identification information without consent, and applied for multiple lines of credit in the victim's name. In January 2026, Canty spent more than $8,000 using a fraudulently obtained credit card at various retail stores, hotels, spas, and restaurants. Detectives believe Canty engaged in a scheme to defraud the victim by providing false information to conceal her actions, and believe there may be more victims. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Please contact the SJSO Property Crimes Unit at 904-824-8304 or email crimetips@sjso.org.

🚨 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐌 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓 🚨 SJSO is aware of the increase in fraudulent activity circulating around our community. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: → SJSO will 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 call you about a warrant → SJSO will 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 call you about jury duty → SJSO will 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 attempt to collect money from you over the phone → SJSO will 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 ask you to provide personal information over the phone → SJSO will 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 call or text you about an inmate 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁! → Scammers are smart and will use fear tactics to scare you and create a sense of urgency to pressure to into giving out your personal information. 𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙁𝙔! Contact #TeamSJSO at 904-824-8304 to verify a phone call, document, or to report a crime.

𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃; 𝐒𝐉𝐒𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐏𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐏 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐘 On April 29, 2026, SJSO deputies responded to Golden Innovape on Durbin Pavilion Drive in reference to a burglary.  Just before 3 a.m., surveillance cameras captured a group of masked individuals throw a large piece of concrete through the front window of the business and enter the store. Three individuals, identified as Joshua Kelly (17), Jordan Raysor (18), and Zachary Armstrong (17), took merchandise and money from the register, while an unknown individual waited outside of the store holding a firearm, and a female juvenile acted as a getaway driver. The individuals quickly left the business and fled from the area.  Through investigative efforts, deputies located the suspect vehicle and took them into custody. Kelly, Raysor, Armstrong, and the female juvenile were arrested and charged with Criminal Mischief, Armed Burglary, and Grand Theft. The group is believed to be responsible for a number of burglaries in Duval and St. Johns Counties this year.  This is an active investigation. Please contact the SJSO Property Crimes Unit with information at 904-824-8304 or email crimetips@sjso.org.

𝐒𝐓. 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐃; 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐏 𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐀𝐖 𝐄𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 On Monday, April 13th, SJSO Security Threat Intelligence Specialists, conducting reviews of remote video visits, learned of a conversation between inmate, Devin Delaney, and his girlfriend, Jacqueline Mottor, planning to execute a contraband drop on restricted law enforcement property. Through investigative efforts, detectives determined Delaney asked Mottor to purchase nicotine vapes and pouches and drop them off on SJSO property for him to collect during his work squad assignment. Mottor agreed and on Sunday, April 12, was seen on SJSO surveillance cameras trespassing in a law enforcement restricted area to hide the contraband. Deputies located Delaney with fourteen nicotine pouches in his possession, and one nicotine vape was located in a porta potty on SJSO property. Delaney and Mottor, both 20-years-old, are under the legal age to possess nicotine or tobacco products in the State of Florida. It is also against the law to trespass, introduce or possess contraband on restricted law enforcement property, or facilitate unauthorized communication and conduct transactions with inmates at any facility. The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office has warning signs on property, notifying visitors about the use of surveillance cameras and restricted areas prohibiting contraband. "𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘑𝘚𝘖 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭, 𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘦𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸," 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧 𝘙𝘰𝘣 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. Delaney was removed from the SJSO Work Squad and charged with Possession of Contraband, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device, and Violation of Probation. Mottor was arrested and charged for Introduction of Contraband, Interference with Custody of a County Prisoner, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device, and Trespass on Posted Law Enforcement Restricted Area or Property.

𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 SJSO Property Crimes detectives are investigating local contractor, Michael Trail of M&M Cabinets of North Florida, Inc. for Scheme to Defraud and Grand Theft. If you hired or paid Michael Trail to perform contracting work, please contact Detective Aran at 904-209-2212 or email haran@sjso.org.

𝟵𝟭𝟭 𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡! SJSO Communications personnel visited Crookshank Elementary School to help students understand when to call 911 and how to communicate information to dispatchers during an emergency. With just two weeks left of the school year, this timely lesson is the perfect safety reminder for students heading into summer. #TeamSJSO

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the community’s assistance in locating James Burdett to check on his welfare. If you know his whereabouts or have information that may assist in locating him, please contact the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office at 904-824-8304.

Heather Hatfield has been located.

Congratulations to the SJSO Benefits and Wellness team for earning the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council Platinum award for the fifth consecutive year!  This recognition demonstrates the commitment #TeamSJSO has for health and wellbeing, and support for staff.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the community’s assistance in locating Heather Hatfield (49) to check on her welfare. If you know her whereabouts or have information that may assist in locating her, please contact the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office at 904-824-8304.

SJSO personnel attended National Police Week ceremonies in Washington D.C., to honor and show respect to fallen law enforcement officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their agencies and communities.  The SJSO Honor Guard participated in the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil, National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol, a wreath laying ceremony with Congressman John Rutherford and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and met with Senator Ashley Moody.    #TeamSJSO will always remember their bravery and selflessness while putting themselves in harms way for others. Your courage and legacy will live on and we thank you.

𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗝𝗖 The IRONMAN Jacksonville event is tomorrow, May 16 and will impact northeast St. Johns County. The bicycle portion of the IRONMAN will travel through Nocatee Pkwy, Roscoe Blvd, Solana Rd, A1A Scenic Hwy, Mickler Rd and Valley Ridge Blvd at various times. Expect delays and traffic restrictions between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Please review the schedule below and divert your travel plans accordingly or prepare for postponements. We appreciate your patience and understanding while these athletes are sharing our roadways. Visit Ironman.com for more information.

Meet SJSOs newest K9 team: K9 Poly & Cpl. Hill! K9 Poly is a 1-year-old Belgian Malanois, certified with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in Patrol and National Police Canine (NPCA) in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). Cpl. Hill is training K9 Poly after the recent retirement of his partner, K9 M’Baku. The two love playing together at home. “I look forward to watching K9 Poly develop into a successful patrol dog keeping the citizens of St. Johns County safe,” Cpl. Hill said. K9 Poly was trained by SJSO, in collaboration with Grassroots K9. The partnership highlights the importance of relationships within the K9 industry to ensure our K9 program is successful.

Our very own Public Affairs Officer, Taylor Levesque, received the honorable Rising Star Award for 2026 through the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC). Taylor was nominated due to her storytelling capabilities, her innovative approach to modernizing SJSO’s communication skills and her professional development in our Public Information unit. Taylor hit the ground running in St. Johns County and has already crossed many milestones in her short career. To see Taylor in action, you can find her on the agency’s podcast or throughout our website and social media platforms. Congratulations Taylor! 📸

𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗝𝗖 The Ironman is coming to Jacksonville and northeast St. Johns County on May 16th. The bicycle portion of the Ironman will travel through Nocatee Pkwy, Roscoe Blvd, Solana Rd, A1A Scenic Hwy, Mickler Rd and Valley Ridge Blvd at various times. Expect delays and traffic restrictions throughout the day. The Nocatee Parkway Flyover will be the only roadway that is fully closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The primary traffic interruptions in St. Johns County will be from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please review the schedule below and divert your travel plans accordingly or prepare for postponements. We appreciate your patience and understanding while these athletes are sharing our roadways.

Today, #TeamSJSO celebrates the mothers who serve within our agency, and the loved ones who support our personnel with strength and love. Thank you for all you do. Happy Mother’s Day! 💐