News & Updates
Man Charged with Three Counts Aggravated Assault
A man who waved a gun at several people inside a Fort Walton Beach area business and then fled from Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies is now charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and obstruction of justice. Witnesses say Rasheen Miller...
Joint OCSO/Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
On March 1st and 2nd 2023 the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), conducted a sting operation focusing on unlicensed contractor activity. DBPR researched unlicensed contractors...
Niceville Area Toddler Critical After Being Pulled from Swimming Pool
A thirteen month old Niceville toddler is in critical condition with a grim prognosis following a drowning at a home near Niceville Monday afternoon. Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies and other first responders rushed to a home on Calloway Drive after...
Man Arrested After Attacking Woman with Tire Iron
A nurse taking a work break near an employee parking lot at HCA Fort Walton Beach - Destin Hospital on Mar Walt Drive was blitz-attacked by a man with a tire iron this morning. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged 27-year old Raul Milla Jr. of Anderson...
Niceville Area Resident Charged with Domestic Violence Aggravated Battery
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrested a Niceville area man on a charge of domestic violence related aggravated battery causing bodily harm.Deputies were called to the Baywind Drive home of 47-year old suspect Ian Weisberg around 6:20 a.m. on July 3rd. They...
OCSO Makes Arrest in Holt Stabbing
A Holt man is in custody on charges he stabbed another individual in a dispute over a female on the 4th of July. 51-year old Robert Dean Parker of Lyons Place is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Communications...
OCSO Investigating Apparent Drowning in Destin
Update: We have confirmation of next of kin notification. The victim is identified as 35-year old Ryan Mallett of Arkansas. We send our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and loved ones in his tragic passing. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office is...
OCSO Nabs Theft Suspects in Stolen Truck
Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies tracked down two people suspected of stealing a Destin woman's electric scooter, making a traffic stop on the pair yesterday in Niceville which revealed they were in a truck reported stolen out of Mississippi. Inside the truck...
Two Alabama Men Arrested for Online Solicitation of Minor
Felony warrants have been served on two Alabama man in connection with an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office undercover operation last summer utilizing the Internet to identify people who attempt to sexually exploit children. 28-year old Stephen Williamson of Saraland...
Niceville Man Arrested After Eight Hour Standoff
A Niceville man is in custody and facing multiple charges following a nine-hour standoff today with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were called to a home on 23rd Street around 8:30 a.m. in reference to a domestic battery call. The suspect, Michael...
Niceville Man Charged with Sexual Battery
A Niceville man is charged with entering a truck where a woman was sleeping on Okaloosa Island and sexually assaulting her. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged 23-year old Taylor Copeland of Farrah Avenue with sexual battery and burglary with battery. The...
Two Charged in Separate Child Porn Possession Cases
On May 11th, investigators with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Section executed simultaneous search warrants at 130 and 136 Noblat Drive in Mary Esther. The investigation began in 2022, after the OCSO Internet Crimes Against Children...
Crestview Man Charged with 30 Counts Possession of Child Porn & More
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has arrested a Crestview man on thirty counts of possession of child pornography and other charges following a detailed investigation. In July 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip...
Store Disruptions Leads to Discovery of Unattended Autistic Toddler
Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputies say a Fort Walton Beach man who hit a Beal Parkway store owner revealed after being taken into custody that he left a three year old autistic child at his home unattended. The store owner says 39 year old Ryan Williamson of...
Shalimar Man with Semi-Automatic Weapons Points Gun at Deputies
A Shalimar man wearing upper body armor while carrying a semi-automatic rifle and pistol early this morning in his neighborhood faces multiple felony charges including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and firing into a moving vehicle. Okaloosa County...
Texas Tourist Drowns in Gulf of Mexico
A Texas tourist who had just arrived in town drowned this afternoon after being caught in an apparent rip tide in the Gulf of Mexico. The tragic situation unfolded around 1:15 p.m. near the Shirah Beach Access in Destin. A lifeguard noticed the 39-year old in distress...
Niceville Teen Caught Burglarizing Beach Vendor Businesses on Destin Harbor
A Destin business owner who spotted someone breaking into her business on the Destin Harbor via her surveillance cameras Thursday night called the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office immediately, and deputies were on scene within seconds, detaining a 17-year old caught...
Seven Nabbed in Operation April Fools
During the month of April, members of the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Section conducted an undercover operation targeting adults looking to meet minors online for sexual encounters. "Operation April's Fools" is part of an going OCSO effort...
South Carolina Man Charged with Human Trafficking
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office was conducting enforcement operations on Interstate 10 around 9 a.m. this morning when a stop was conducted for a traffic violation. The driver, 44-year old Jose Figueroa of Beaufort, South Carolina was transporting two illegal...
Thirteen Year Old Tourist Drowns in Gulf Waters
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office is investigating the tragic drowning of a 13-year old tourist from Kentucky in the Gulf of Mexico this morning. Deputies were called to 3690 Scenic Highway 98 around 11:30 for a distressed swimmer. Surfers had helped rescue several...