FAC Weekly Update 2025-09-09–Beware of Highlands County Detective
Weekly update for September 9, 2025. This is recording number 327.
Dear Members and Advocates,
Florida Action Committee does not typically involve itself in individual criminal cases. But sometimes, a case so clearly exposes the cruelty of the system that it demands our attention. This is one of those times.
In November of 2022, we sent a weekly update about a Detective in Highlands County who has taken it upon himself to be overly aggressive in pursuing registrants. This detective is so aggressive, in fact, that he reviews registration histories of people who so much as establish a temporary residence in Highlands, going back years and scouring registration history from other counties in Florida, just to see if he can come up with any excuse to arrest the person.
In August of 2023, a man we’ll call “Roger”, was arrested and charged with failure to re-register or provide required information in Highlands County. Roger didn’t live in Highlands. He merely registered his sister’s address in Highlands as a temporary address, as was required, because he had visited with her and planned to visit there, from time to time. At all times he kept his permanent address at his permanent home where he lived without issue in a different county. Because of that temporary address, this detective decided that Highlands County had the jurisdiction to investigate other “potential” (using the term loosely) violations in other counties. He learned that Roger had owned an 8 foot canoe trailer that he gave to his daughter. He kept it registered because he still had access to use it (as it’s his daughter’s). The detective nevertheless saw that Roger had registered 19 times with the trailer and added 19 counts to his criminal charges.
The detective didn’t stop there. In 2020, Roger bought a vehicle on December 23rd but didn’t register it until December 28th. The 24th was Christmas Eve, the 25th was Christmas, the 26th and 27th were the weekend, so the first opportunity he had to register, he did. But since the statute doesn’t say “business hours” or “hours when the registration office is closed are excluded”, the detective tacked on a failure to register the vehicle within 48 hours to the list of now 21 counts! Mind you; Roger’s original offense was in 1998 – nearly 30 years ago – he’s had no other arrests since. Roger has not re-offended in nearly three decades. He’s built a business, provided for his family and should be an example of success. Instead, he’s the target.
In Florida, a third degree felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. The State could seek a consecutive sentence so that each count could be added together for a maximum of 105 years (21 × 5 years). Roger genuinely believed he did nothing wrong. If anything, he was over-inclusive in an abundance of caution. His sister’s address was registered for when he stayed there or, when in the event of a hurricane, he was forced to evacuate. The canoe trailer was still in the family and he had access to it, so there was no reason to remove it. And if the registration office wasn’t open during the holiday and weekend and he went to register his car on the first opportunity he could, what did he do wrong?!? Roger decided to fight his case.
Last month, Roger’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him, arguing that Highlands county lacked jurisdiction to prosecute him for alleged registration violations that took place in another county. After nearly two years with the dark cloud of this prosecution hanging over him, he was looking forward to his day in court… Then thunder struck… According to an arrest affidavit, “On 8/25/2025… after learning of a Notice of Hearing for a Motion to Dismiss filed in [Roger’s original case]” the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office dug up 8 additional counts (not sexual offenses, just petty alleged registration violations), and re-arrested Roger. Not to protect the public, but as retaliation for fighting his charges. He’s now being held without bond in the Highlands County Jail and facing a potential 145 years in prison.
This is not regulation. This is punishment. It is persecution dressed up as public safety. It is a tripwire system designed to entrap people who are doing their best to comply. And it exposes the lie that the registry is somehow “non-punitive.”
The first step to ending the registry’s harm is exposing the truth: it is punishment, not protection. FAC members, it’s time to make your voices heard. Call, email, or write your state representatives and senators. Share your stories, demand reform, accountability, and an end to this draconian registry. Silence allows this injustice to continue. Action is the only way to protect your families and restore fairness. Contact your lawmakers today.
Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee
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This is what I’m not understanding, either. Where is the crime?
If he had access to that trailer, that vehicle, in other words, then he had an obligation to register it or at least to keep it registered.
I’m confused. I don’t understand something.
If the guy had registered that trailer, even if he no longer owned it, if he had access to it, and the use of it, then he was still required to register it.
Where is the crime?
I don’t understand why they would charge him with still having the canoe trailer registered. I borrowed my neighbors 8′ tagged flat trailer and the SO office here told me to add it to my registration and also to leave it there in case I ever use it again. She also said add anything else I may borrow from a friend. The law says nothing (as far as I understand it) to ever remove anything. Am I missong something here? She said the same about any online accounts, once registered never remove it even if I delete it.
Our county office suggested the exact opposite— once an internet identifier is deleted and no longer accessible, remove it from registration.
So how are we supposed to know what to do or not do? It doesn’t say in the law about removing social media I don’t think does it? Or vehicles for that matter. I dont have my paperwork with me to check right now
Eventually if this keeps up, and the DA’s office gets wind of this sheriff’s actions, he could be held liable!
Isn’t it the DA’s office that is prosecuting these charges in the first place?
Yes, but that’s just protocol. It doesn’t mean that they actually have to prosecute them.
Man that is absolutely horrendous. I hope the officer ends up in jail.
A prime example of why I left Florida. I feel for this man and his family. I hope that the latest charges will be dismissed and that he is able to sue Highlands County.
I would sue them for harassment. Going to dismiss charges and then come back with 8 more charges? Come on, that is definitely targeting him and then trying to manufacture violations.