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 Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. 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.

Apr 19, 2018

Polk County detectives arrest two wanted fugitives from Indiana on the run since 2003

Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, PIO

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested a man and woman who fled from Indiana back in 2003, and assumed new identities, plus two other men who were assisting them.

The two fugitives were 52-year-old Derrick Holman and 48-year-old Michele Cox.

In June of 2003, they were arrested In Indiana on drug possession and weapons charges, bonded out, and failed to appear for the charges. The other two arrested were Derrick's 49-year-old brother Mark Holman, and 32-year-old Nathan Olsen.

Derrick Holman Michele Cox obtained Tennessee driver licenses under the names of Eric Brewer and Mechele Green, using personal information from those two people.

Their presence in Florida became known when the real Eric Brewer of Indian notified his local law enforcement agency that a credit report showed his name was linked to property in Polk County, property which he has never owned.

A Polk County Sheriff's Office investigation revealed that the four were working together to conceal the real identities of Derrick Holman and Michele Cox.

"The two fugitives from justice assumed new identities here in Florida to avoid capture. In the end, they wound up with a lot of felonies, and a paid one-way ticket back to Indiana." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

Michele Cox is charged with Aggravated White Collar Crime of $50,000 or more (F-1), Use of ID of Another without consent for $50,000 or more (F-1), Obtain Property by Fraud > $50,000 (F-1), Forgery (F-3), Bringing into State Forged Documents (F-3, 2-counts), Uttering (F-3, 2-counts), False Statement on MV Insurance (F-3), and Filing False Documents for Property (F-3, 2-counts).

Derrick Holman is charged with Aggravated White Collar Crime of $50,000 or more (F-1), Use of ID of Another without consent for $50,000 or more (F-1), Obtain Property by Fraud > $50,000 (F-1), False Statement on MV Insurance (F-3), False Proof of MV Insurance (F-3), and Forgery (F-3).

Mark Holman is charged with Obtain Property by Fraud >$50,000 (F-1) and Forging Public Record (F-3).

Nathan Olsen is charged with Obtain Property by Fraud >$50,000 (F-1) and Filing False Document against Property (F-3).

The State of Indiana plans to extradite Derrick Holman and Michele Cox from Florida, to face the following 2003 Indiana charges:

Derrick Holman - Failure to Appear, Dealing in Cocaine, Possession of Firearm by Serious Felon, Possession of Marijuana over 30 grams, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Michele Cox- Failure to Appear, Dealing in Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.