The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and the Sarasota Police Department today announced the results of a joint operation designed to reduce crime in North Sarasota and enhance the safety of its residents.

Using the Sheriff’s Office Intelligence Led Policing model, both agencies shared information on recent incidents, criminal activity and crime trends to develop a strategy to address the threat of violence, paying particular attention to known offenders.

This month-long operation provided a sudden and dramatic increase in law enforcement presence to enhance apprehension efforts for specific crimes within a defined area of North Sarasota. The goal was to eliminate the perception that this area of our community is an environment that is supportive of criminal behavior. The results:

• 181 Total arrests
• 294 Charges (149 Felonies/145 Misdemeanors)
• 12 Weapons seized

Of greater concern is the arrest history of many of these offenders. Of the 181 subjects arrested, they shared a combined 1,509 prior felony arrests and 1,932 prior misdemeanor arrests. Only a fraction of those cases resulted in convictions, and while many of these subjects served jail time few have spent time in prison for their crimes.

“Under the current dynamics of the system it is clear that we cannot arrest our way out of this issue,” said Sheriff Tom Knight. “That said, we will continue to perform our law enforcement function and arrest those who choose to break the law.”

Chief Mikel Hollaway added, “Law enforcement is only part of the solution. To truly make a difference in North Sarasota it will take a strong commitment from everyone to enhance the quality of life we expect. It is necessary to hold each other accountable for what we must achieve. Failure is not an option.”

Both agency leaders agreed the criminal justice system and community members must help support law enforcement efforts to keep prolific offenders out of North Sarasota.

To watch the news conference on the Sheriff's Office YouTube channel click here.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is searching for the man who tried to lure an 11-year-old boy into his vehicle as the child walked home from Phillippi Shores Elementary School in Sarasota yesterday afternoon.

The suspect was headed northbound on Riverwood Avenue when he stopped to ask the child if he would help him find his missing bunny rabbit. The student did not answer but showed the man his cell phone, which apparently made the man drive away.

The suspect is described as a white male with a light complexion, approximately 20-30 years old, dark hair with a thin, squared face and a thin beard. He was wearing a blue and black plaid collared short-sleeve shirt and dark sunglasses.

The vehicle is a white mid-size SUV that is missing the passenger side mirror; the rear passenger tail light did not work and there was damage to the driver side rear quarter panel; hub caps were missing from the driver side and passenger rear tires; and the vehicle had a dark colored license tag and a brown bumper sticker with “Texas” written in white.

Anyone with information on this suspect or the vehicle described above is asked to call 9-1-1 or the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number 941.316.1201.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested Alejandro Leyva Reyes, DOB 9/6/90, 3959 Eton Place, Sarasota, and charged him with one count of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud, one count of Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, and one count of Fraudulently Obtaining a Medicinal Drug.

Investigators with the Pharmaceutical Diversion Unit were investigating claims that fraudulent prescriptions were being passed under the name Dr. Jorge A. Laloma-Sanchez, but with the name and address for a fictitious clinic. They found Reyes submitted two of these fraudulent prescriptions to a Venice pharmacy, obtaining 180 Roxicodone pills and 30 pills of Ibuprofen last September.

Reyes, who has an extensive criminal history including Home Invasion Robbery with a Firearm, was out on bond for cocaine, marijuana and traffic-related arrests at the time of the crime. When he was arrested Saturday he also had an active warrant for Failure to Appear in Court for Driving with a Suspended License.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested 48-year-old Holly Costa, 712 Cypress Avenue, Venice, for Doctor Shopping to obtain some 12,800 Oxycodone pills and similar controlled substances between August 2010 and July 2011.

The investigation began when a pharmacy reported to the Venice Police Department that Costa tried to fill two prescriptions for Oxycodone from two different doctors on two consecutive days. VPD contacted a detective with the Sheriff’s Office, who determined that Costa visited at least 15 different practitioners in Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa, Brandon, Wesley Chapel, St. Petersburg and Ft. Myers during that 12-month period.

Costa was arrested Friday and booked into the Sarasota County Jail on 15 counts of Withholding Information from a Practitioner in Order to Obtain a Controlled Substance. She posted $22,500 bond and was released.