Convicted Sexual Predator Arrested After Cutting GPS Ankle Monitor
Hernando County deputies arrested a convicted sexual predator after authorities say he tampered with and removed part of a court ordered GPS ankle monitor, an action detected through a Department of Corrections alert. The arrest, and discovery that the man was using an unregistered cellphone, raises questions about monitoring and supervision of high risk offenders in the community.
Hernando County deputies arrested a man on December 1, 2025 after responding to a detection that a court ordered GPS ankle monitor had been tampered with and partially removed. The Department of Corrections sent local detectives a "bracelet gone" alert late in November, prompting a search that led deputies to an abandoned portion of the monitoring device in a wooded area near S. Broad Street in Brooksville. Officers located and detained the suspect within an hour.
The man taken into custody is identified as a convicted sexual predator who had been released to conditional supervision after serving a lengthy sentence for a 2001 sexual battery conviction. During the investigation deputies determined he was using an unregistered cellphone, a reporting requirement the supervision terms require. Hernando County law enforcement charged him with tampering with an electronic monitoring device and failure to report a change of phone number. He is being held without bond.
The quick alert from the Department of Corrections and the rapid response by local detectives underscore the role of electronic monitoring in supervising individuals released from long sentences. For residents, the incident highlights both the capabilities and the vulnerabilities of GPS supervision. While the device alert led to a prompt arrest, the fact that the bracelet was deliberately removed and that reporting requirements for communication devices were not followed may heighten concern among neighbors, particularly near the Brooksville area where the device was discarded.
This arrest will be processed through the county court system, and it may influence how conditional supervision is handled for offenders with serious convictions. It also serves as a reminder of the legal responsibilities placed on those under supervision, including maintaining electronic monitoring and reporting contact information. The case illustrates the need for continued coordination between state corrections officials and local law enforcement to protect community safety while enforcing the terms of supervised release. Authorities say the suspect remains in custody pending further proceedings.
