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.

Aug 20, 2025

Bartow sales clerk arrested for illegal alcohol sale to a 17-year old

The Polk County Sheriff's Office visited nine convenience stores on August 14, 2025, checking to make sure the stores and their staff were abiding by the state's law pertaining to alcohol sales.

It was the latest round of the PCSO's Operation Pop-Top campaign, in which deputies are assisted by a high school student who attempts to purchase alcohol. The students who participate are members of the PCSO's Cadet 1000 program.

All of the stores visited on that Thursday were in the Bartow and Mulberry areas, and eight of the nine passed the test.

28-year old Dashara Cora, a sales clerk at the RaceTrac store at 1690 N. Broadway Avenue in Bartow, was arrested after she sold an alcoholic beverage to the student.

"The law is clear, there is to be no the sales of alcohol to anyone under the age of 21-years of age. Stores and their employees know this, but the don't always obey that law. This is why we do these checks." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

Ms. Cora was charged with Selling Alcohol to a Person Under 21 Years of Age, a misdemeanor.