sheriff's office

A guide from Bolts highlights 25 sheriff and prosecutor elections across a dozen states where voters face stark choices over offices with vast powers on policing and punishment. The races are drawing attention because sheriffs and prosecutors decide enforcement priorities, and in many counties the outcome will shape how far local law enforcement cooperates with ICE on immigration enforcement.

A woman from Atlanta has been charged in Florida in connection with a bitcoin jury duty scam that investigators say is linked to inmates in Georgia, according to a sheriff's office. The case involves fraudsters posing as officials to convince victims to pay fines in bitcoin. Authorities say the arrest points to a wider scheme run from behind prison walls.

Lonoke County, Arkansas, is set to choose a new sheriff in an election that has drawn unusual attention because one candidate's murder case made national headlines. The contest will decide the county's next top law enforcement officer, with the candidate's legal history at the center of public debate.

Benton County in northwest Arkansas has approved funding for participation in the 287(g) program, which deputizes local law enforcement to cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigration enforcement. The move means sheriff's office staff can be trained and authorized to carry out certain federal immigration functions locally, a decision likely to draw debate over public safety, trust in law enforcement, and local resources.

The Mason County sheriff in Michigan is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers pose as law enforcement, claim the victim missed jury duty, and say a warrant has been issued unless they pay immediately in Bitcoin. Officials stress that legitimate courts and sheriff's offices never demand cryptocurrency or other instant payments over the phone, and urge people to hang up and verify directly.

The McLennan County Sheriff's Office in Texas assisted in the apprehension of a murder suspect wanted in Harris County. Details about the suspect's identity, the circumstances of the arrest, and where it took place have not been released. The case highlights inter-county cooperation between Texas law enforcement agencies in tracking fugitives wanted for serious violent crimes.

Sheriff's Lt. Jake Church and West Richland police officer Roman Kilinkaridis are running to become the next sheriff of Yakima County, Washington. The race for the county's top law enforcement post is drawing local attention as the two candidates, one from within the sheriff's office and one from a neighboring city force, present their cases to voters.

A Mississippi man has been charged with capital murder in connection with a double homicide in the Wells Branch area, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office. Authorities have not released further details about the victims or a possible motive. The case has drawn local attention as investigators work to establish the circumstances linking the suspect to the two deaths.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office deputies have arrested a Baton Rouge man on attempted murder charges after he allegedly shot at a woman outside a hotel. The sheriff's office announced the arrest, which stems from an incident outside a local hotel where a woman was targeted. Further details about the suspect, the victim's condition, and what led to the shooting have not been released.