Proud to Serve
Thank you for visiting the official website of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It’s an honor and privilege to serve as your Sheriff.
Your safety is my top priority. I am committed to ensuring our community is protected by the most skilled, dedicated, and innovative law enforcement team. We’re constantly looking ahead, embracing new ideas, and striving for excellence in everything we do.
🌟𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘🌟
𝙲𝙾𝚁𝚁𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙶𝙴𝙰𝙽𝚃: 𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝚂𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙵𝙴𝚁
Ted Schafer’s original goal wasn’t law enforcement. He was hoping to become a judge advocate general in the U.S. Army. Schafer was prepared to join the service after graduating from Dunbar High in 2004, but a medical condition at the time prevented it.
Instead, for the next five years he worked as a facilities engineer at Naples Bay Resort while it was being built and during early years of operation.
“It was great experience,” Schafer said. “I found it was very rewarding to take a problem and find out of the box solutions to solving it. I still enjoy doing that.”
In 2007 Ted earned certification as a firefighter, but a nationwide economic downturn around that same time precluded most agencies from hiring.
“Just bad timing for that,” he explained. “My goal in was to be a firefighter and ultimately become an arson investigator. With that still in mind, I thought a good plan would be to join law enforcement to get some investigative experience.”
Schafer was sponsored through corrections academy in 2013 and began working nights at the Core. After a couple of years, he switched to day shift at the downtown jail before becoming dual certified in 2015.
Moving to jail transport in 2018, Schafer enjoyed that role for the next three years. “I got to see 60 of Florida’s 67 counties during that time,” he said.
Promoted to Master Corporal in 2021, then Sergeant the following year, Sgt. Schafer landed the administrative sergeant role in March of this year. He is responsible for operations at the Core, including work orders, participating in the yearly budget planning, ordering equipment and supplies each month, and facilitating the roster for each shift.
“I absolutely love what I do,” Sgt. Schafer explained. “I love it because every day is a great challenge and you must multitask. Making lists has become something I’ve gotten good at and I’ve always been organized and detail oriented – which is what this position requires.”
In high school, Ted completed four years of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) since he was considering a military career. When LCSO’s Honor Guard appeared at his academy graduation, Schafer felt drawn to the unit.
“I just thought, ‘I want to be part of that team,’” he explained. “The uniforms and precision were amazing. I think JROTC gave me a passion for Honor Guard, and I was fortunate enough to join the team in 2015.”
Sgt. Schafer was surprised when Cpl. Aaron Eubanks asked him to be the second member of Honor Guard’s mounted guard. “I had never been on a horse before and he said that was perfect since I didn’t have any bad habits when it comes to riding,” said Sgt. Schafer, who helped LCSO win numerous prestigious awards aboard Argus, one of Eubank’s horses.
“Mounted Guard has been the most rewarding part of my career. To be part of such an impactful aspect of this agency is very humbling,” he continued. “We represent the fallen, and that role has taken me to the White House in Washington, DC, competitions during Police Week and all over the state for funerals.”
Away from work Sgt. Schafer enjoys playing country and blues music on the guitar, working on classic cars including his 1967 Dodge Dart, and spending time with his 10-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son. He and his wife, Gabrielle, have been married for 17 years and were high school sweethearts.
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This week on Coffee with Carmine, Sheriff Carmine Marceno sits down with Sgt. Mackereth to recap the school year, discuss some of the most notable incidents our School Threat Enforcement Team handled, and talk about what LCSO is doing to keep kids safe now that summer break is here!
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𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐓𝐰𝐨: 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐔𝐍-𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 😉
Sheriff Carmine Marceno’s Summer Youth Program just wrapped another week of camp-fueled chaos (the fun kind), snack-powered missions, and laughter that could probably be heard across the county. 🎉
This week, our campers got the VIP tour of public safety:
🧪 Forensics & Crime Scene
💣 Bomb Squad
⚡ SWAT
🏫 School Threat Enforcement Team
🎳 Bowling fun
🍦 Ice cream served by our Ice Cream Response Team
Week two definitely just flew by…
Week three, don’t get too comfy, you’re next!👏
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School may be out, but the work never stops.
This week on 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞, Sheriff Carmine Marceno and Sgt. Mackereth discuss how the School Threat Enforcement Team stays focused on keeping our community safe year-round.
𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐚𝐭 𝟗𝐀𝐌! ☕⭐
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⭐️ 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐌𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐒, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐓 ⭐️
On June 18, 1st Precinct deputies responded to a disturbance involving multiple individuals in a wooded area near Del Prado Boulevard and Monte Isola Way in North Fort Myers.
During the investigation, deputies learned that an argument between the parties escalated when a firearm was brandished and threats were made. Witnesses reported that two male subjects arrived on scene and pointed firearms at two victims as they attempted to leave the area. During the confrontation, one victim was pistol-whipped, causing injuries that required medical treatment.
Through witness statements, and investigative efforts, deputies identified one of the suspects as 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐬. A victim later positively identified Justis during a show-up identification as the individual who pointed a firearm at him during the incident.
As a result of the investigation, Justis was arrested and charged with:
🔫 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐲.
Justis is no stranger to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and has a lengthy history of criminal behavior, demonstrating a complete disregard for the safety and well-being of others in our community.
“This type of violent, reckless behavior will never be tolerated in Lee County,” said Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “I am incredibly proud of my deputies for their swift response, thorough investigation, and relentless commitment to public safety. Because of their outstanding work, a dangerous offender is behind bars where he belongs. Let this serve as a warning: if you threaten innocent people with a firearm and terrorize our community, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will hold you accountable.”
The investigation remains active as detectives continue working to identify and locate additional individuals involved in the incident.
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Enjoy your day, from #teamLCSO! 👔💙
🚨MISSING ENDANGERED ADULT🚨
The Lee County Sheriff's Office is requesting the public's assistance in locating a missing/endangered adult Robert Justin Nance (DOB: 2-3-1988).
Robert is 5’11, weighs 150 lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen on foot at 606 Danley Drive in Fort Myers without a shirt on, carrying a white T-Shirt, and unknown bottoms.
If you have any info, please contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 239-477-1000 or SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
🚨ACTIVE INVESTIGATION - Lehigh
LCSO is on scene of a stabbing that occurred overnight on Vernon Ave. S. One victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident. The suspect was apprehended quickly without incident.
The scene is contained and there is no threat to the public. The case remains active while Violent Crimes Detectives gather evidence and speak with witnesses.
🚨MISSING ENDANGERED JUVENILE🚨
The Lee County Sheriff's Office is requesting the public's assistance in locating a missing/endangered juvenile Emma Silov (DOB: 4/25/2011).
Emma is 5’5, weighs 110 lbs, with pink hair and blue eyes. She was last seen on Isle of Palms Drive in Fort Myers Beach wearing a white hoodie, black pants, and tan shoes.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Emma please contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 239-477-1000 or SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
SCAM ALERT 🚨
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of scammers calling to advise you’ve missed a court date and must pay a fine to avoid additional charges.
Important reminders:
• LCSO will never call you to request money for any reason.
• Do not meet anyone to exchange money or share personal information over the phone.
• If you encounter this scam or believe you’ve been targeted, contact LCSO at 239-477-1000 to file a report.
Carmine Marceno
A recent call for service pulled on the heartstrings of our 1st Precinct Crime Section Detectives. One of Benjamin’s favorite activities is riding his bike — so when detectives found out his bicycle was stolen from his residence, they knew they had to jump into action to replace it and ensure he had fresh wheels for the summer 🚲 ☀️. Detective Fischer even went above and beyond by getting a bike that was similar to the one stolen. We hope you enjoy your new ride, Benjamin!
𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 🧨💣
What started as deputies searching a wooded area near NE 24th Ave. and Diplomat Pkwy. E. for a wanted subject quickly turned into a Bomb Squad callout.
While checking a transient campsite, deputies spotted several suspicious devices that appeared to be homemade explosives. The Lee County Sheriff`s Office Bomb Squad responded and safely secured the scene while detectives launched an investigation.
A search warrant later led to the recovery of seven explosive devices. Investigators discovered modified fireworks and a metal pipe device containing energetic powder. Several of the devices had been altered with paper clips, pellets, and BBs designed to act as fragmentation projectiles upon detonation.
During the investigation, 𝟐𝟏-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐲 admitted to constructing the devices and adding the projectiles. He claimed the devices were intended to scare away animals.
"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐁𝐨𝐦𝐛 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝," 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐨.
Antley was arrested and charged with: 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 and transported to the Lee County Jail.
Keeping our beaches takeover-free all summer long ⛱️☀️😉
𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐀 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐌𝐀
A 17-year-old Bonita Springs teen has been arrested after 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭.
On June 4, Violent Crimes Detectives began investigating an armed robbery at OG Smoke N Vape in Bonita Springs. Surveillance footage showed a masked male entering the business, brandishing a firearm, and demanding several products before fleeing the scene.
At the time, an extensive search was completed, but the male was not found.
The following day, detectives located video of the suspect walking around the area before the robbery, with no mask.
Simultaneously, deputies received a missing person’s report for 𝟏𝟕-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐗𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥, who was last seen wearing clothing identical to that worn by the robbery suspect. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 and reported that a safe inside their home had been damaged and a handgun was missing.
On June 5, detectives were notified by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency that 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Collier County the day after the robbery.
𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬
𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞: 𝐖𝐖𝐈𝐈 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 🇺🇸
After more than 𝟖𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, a Southwest Florida hero has finally returned home.
On June 5, 2026, the remains of 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡. 𝐒𝐠𝐭. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐂. 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐫. arrived at Southwest Florida International Airport, where he was honored during a private military ceremony. Palmer was just 20 years old when the B-24H Liberator bomber he served aboard was shot down over Kassel, Germany, on September 27, 1944, during WWII. LCSO’s Traffic Unit and 4th Precinct personnel were on hand and had the honor to assist with the escort.
For decades, his family waited for answers. Thanks to the dedication of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and advances in forensic science, Tech. Sgt. Palmer has now been identified and will be laid to rest with full military honors on June 8 at Sarasota National Cemetery.
His return brings long-awaited closure to loved ones, including his 98-year-old cousin in Bonita Springs, and serves as a powerful reminder that the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes are never forgotten.
❤️🤍💙
The tea? We let him go after this.
We’re not trying to ruin your summer, just making sure it’s safe and legal!!
We’d advise you not to, but if you do… takeover & find out
We are out in full force with ZERO tolerance, Lee County
If you think you’re going to take over the streets of Lee County… think again.
Our deputies are out in FULL FORCE — patrolling, monitoring, and deterring senseless crimes before they start.
Street takeovers, reckless driving, and dangerous stunts will NOT be tolerated. We will continue to put in the work to keep our Lee County roads safe.
Play games, win expensive tickets… or a trip to jail.
Watch real stories from the field, see how we work with the community, and get the latest updates straight from the source.
Behind the Badge with Sheriff Carmine Marceno
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The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an increase in phone calls, text messages, and emails claiming that your bank account, Social Security number, or online account has been compromised. Scammers often create a sense of urgency by saying: “Your account has been locked.” “Suspicious activity has been detected.” “You must verify your information immediately.” “A warrant has...
With school out for the summer, families are spending more time at the beach, on the water, and enjoying outdoor activities. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to keep safety in mind while having fun in the Florida sun. Water Safety Swim in designated areas and pay attention to beach warning flags. Never swim alone. Closely supervise children near...
It’s reported Floridians lost more than 9 million dollars to job scams in the last year with Florida ranking second in the nation as scams grow alongside rising unemployment. The Federal Trade Commission is warning of a new text scam. It involves fake recruiters offering fake jobs, stealing real money. Here’s how these scams work — and how to avoid...
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has been nationally accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA) since 1991. The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations and support services.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office invites the public to offer comments, commendation and other information regarding the Sheriff’s Office quality of services and performance or other information relevant to the accreditation process on the CALEA public access portal. To access the Public Comment Portal, go to http://cimrs2.calea.org/58.
