Updated: 4:42 PM EST February 3, 2021
TAMPA, Fla. Deputies have arrested a woman accused of calling 911 and telling a dispatcher a device had been planted in the Hillsborough County Courthouse.
The sheriff s office says 32-year-old Dianna Mervil called 911 just before 11 a.m. Wednesday and said the device had been placed because her brother s brother-in-law had gotten four life sentences.
The bomb squad was dispatched, along with K-9 and patrol deputies, but they didn t find anything.
About 30 minutes after the first call, authorities say Mervil dialed 911 again and made the same threat to a Tampa dispatcher.
Investigators say they traced the cell phone call and arrested Mervil outside the courthouse. They say she admitted she made false threats.
Death of South Florida FBI agents reminds about dangers of serving warrants
Evan Axelbank reports
TAMPA, Fla. - A deadly shootout between FBI agents and a suspect in South Florida serves as a reminder of how dangerous the job of law enforcement can be.
Tuesday morning, a standoff between the suspect and FBI agents who were serving a warrant led to the death of two agents and injuries for three others.
The confrontation in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Sunrise marked one of the bloodiest days in South Florida FBI s history, and among the deadliest nationally, according to the FBI website.
Signage at Tampa International Airport helps inform travelers of resources available to combat human trafficking.
Part of the effort to stop human trafficking involves training commercial truckers, hotel staff and Uber drivers to recognize victims.
The Super Bowl traditionally has been known to attract human traffickers, so as Tampa gears up for the big game on Sunday, local and state officials are taking steps to crack down on sexual exploitation.
Law enforcement agencies in Tampa and across the state are working with community organizations and Hillsborough County officials to help people recognize signs of human trafficking and how to report it.
Understanding the narrative between trafficking and the Big Game, local non-profits weigh in
and last updated 2021-02-04 17:00:48-05
BRYAN, TEXAS â Large crowds present a natural opportunity for trafficking to occur, but a local non-profit supporting human trafficking victims say there is no evidence to show the Super Bowl reveals a surge in trafficking cases.
Just like the upcoming big game , any large celebratory events that draw in big-spending out-of-town-visitors could increase the probability for trafficking to happen and be reported, with more eyes and ears looking out for it, but does that mean trafficking actually happens more? We don t want to equate that to numbers of actual human trafficking occurring, while we know the demand increases and online add activity, we don t have empirical data that actually correlates the super bowl being the #1 event that increases trafficking, Amanda Buenger, Executive Director of Unbound BCS says.
Sheriff: Hillsborough man charged with murdering girlfriend s 8-year-old son
By Fox 13 News staff
Published
(Hillsborough County Sheriff s Office)
TAMPA, Fla. - A Hillsborough man faces first-degree murder charges after deputies say he severely beat his girlfriend s 8-year-old son, leading to the child s death.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff s Office said the boy s mother called 911 on Oct. 22, 2020, saying her child was struggling to breathe and was unresponsive.
The little boy was rushed to Brandon Hospital, then airlifted to John s Hopkins All Children s Hospital.
Investigators said doctors discovered large areas of contusions, welts, scarring and lacerations on the boy s lower back and rear area.