Publisher Marilyn M. Aciego was born and raised in Lake County and is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She began her journalism career at LSSC and in 2023 she was honored with LSSC’s Distinguished Alumni Professional Achievement Award. She began working at the Daily Commercial while she was in college and continued her career there as a reporter after she graduated. In her 20+ year-career, she covered many of the area’s top stories including the disappearance of Trenton Duckett and the death of beloved Sheriff Chris Daniels. She has landed many exclusive interviews and was the first to break two of the biggest stories of 2024- the death of Jamaria Sessions and the murder of a Lake County Sheriff's Office deputy and the attempted murder of two other deputies. In addition to Inside Lake, Marilyn is the single mom of a teenaged son and the Florida Bureau Chief for an international media organization.
The following story was first published on Lake Legal News July 30, 2020.
EUSTIS, Florida — A woman who drove down the street with a man on the hood of her SUV was charged with aggravated domestic battery Saturday.
Just before 6 p.m. Saturday, a Eustis Police officer met with the victim at the police department and he said his child’s mother, Ernesta Presy, dropped their child off at the last minute at his home on West Pendleton Avenue without notice. The victim confronted Presy and documented the conversation on his cell phone, according to an arrest affidavit.
Presy allegedly pushed the victim lightly in the chest after being repeatedly told not to touch him. Presy then gave the child to the victim’s father and entered her vehicle. The victim stepped in front of the vehicle and Presy allegedly accelerated, hitting the victim in the knees and knocking him on to the hood.
The victim dropped his phone so he could hold on with both hands; and later told police Presy refused to stop and kept swerving, as if she was trying to knock him into traffic or hit a utility pole. Presy had to stop for a traffic light at Orange Avenue and Bay Street and the victim was able to get off, according to the affidavit.
Video from the victim’s phone showed Presy and the victim arguing and her blue SUV striking him. A witness also told police she saw a blue SUV strike the victim and accelerate, according to the affidavit.
Around 9 p.m. EPD responded back to the residence on West Pendleton Ave in reference to Presy being there again. Presy told police she dropped off the child so she could go to work, and the victim confronted her, trying to provoke her. Presy, wearing the same clothing she is seen wearing in the video, told police the victim stepped in front of her SUV, but refused to go into detail as to why she hit him, the affidavit states.
Presy was transported to the Lake County Jail, where she was released on $25,000 bond.
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
For nearly 24 years, Eustis Police Capt. Shane McSheehy protected and served the residents of Eustis and on Tuesday, he said goodbye.
Lake Legal News sat down with McSheehy Tuesday morning on his retirement day and spoke about his time at Eustis Police Department and his plans for the future. After a five-month search for a chief position, McSheehy is now the chief at Pella Police Department in Pella, Iowa. He is scheduled to start later this month.
McSheehy had a good feeling about Pella from the start; he is a shot glass collector and decided not to pick one up when he was there during the interview process — because he knew he would be back, he told LLN. “It just clicked.”
In Pella, he will oversee 18 full-time officers, six part-time officers and seven civilian employees, according to the city’s website. The city has a population of around 10,000, a little less than half of Eustis. His wife, Debbie, and son, Zane, a junior in high school, will be going to Pella with McSheehy and Zane will be able to dual-enroll in high school and college, a factor that was very important to McSheehy. “That was part of the puzzle too — to make sure his school was taken care of.” Debbie has been very supportive of his career, McSheehy said, “She has always been a cop’s wife.”
From the time McSheehy was 3 years old, he told his grandmother he wanted to be a law enforcement officer. He aspired to be the chief of a department for as long as he can remember. He took numerous classes and attended leadership training, totaling more than 3,500 hours. “Everything I did was a very deliberate path,” he explained to LLN.
During his tenure at EPD, McSheehy worked in many units, including the Office of Professional Standards, Criminal Investigations, Traffic Homicide and Road Patrol to name a few. He also served as the SWAT Commander for 13 years. “Building SWAT is one of my proudest accomplishments.”
Shane McSheey, through the years. Photo Credit: Provided
He was also the force behind getting EPD accredited; accreditation focuses on standards and procedures that provide the best practices for a law enforcement agency. Former Chief Fred Cobb came to McSheehy in 2014 and said, “I want you to make it happen,” McSheehy recalled.
McSheehy told LLN Cobb, who served as EPD chief from 2005 to 2015, taught him a lot and always appreciated McSheehy’s candor. He said many times the pair had to have tough conversations and although McSheehy sometimes had to tell Cobb things he did not want to hear, they were things he needed to hear.
“He was my biggest mentor by far,” McSheehy said.
LLN spoke to Cobb by phone Wednesday morning about McSheehy. They kept in contact throughout the whole process of McSheehy searching for a chief’s position, “I’m really proud of him,” Cobb told LLN, “I worked with him and watched him grow.”
“I’m very confident he possesses the skills to succeed as chief of police in the current environment,” Cobb said.
McSheehy is looking forward to beginning his new chapter, “Every time I have been challenged; I’ve done really well.”
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
TAVARES, Florida — A local man known as “Pastor Pete” who runs a “quasi group home” in Tavares was arrested Thursday for allegedly battering one of his tenants and driving with a suspended license.
Tavares Police Department responded to 1404 East Alfred Street Thursday afternoon after a man reported Pedro “Pastor Pete” Custodio, 50, battered him. The victim, who is deaf and has mental impairments, communicated to police he was lying on his bed and Custodio entered his bedroom, pulled him off the bed and hit him “all over,” according to an arrest affidavit.
Custodio told police the victim “smelled and dirty feet,” and he saw his feet on the mattress and went to move them. He said as he attempted to put a comforter under the victim’s feet the victim kicked him and, “At that time I had a right to defend myself, so I [expletive] him up.”
Lake EMS responded to the scene to check the victim out.
Police asked why he did not call 9-1-1 instead of attacking a mentally impaired person, and Custodio allegedly responded, “[Expletive] you, if I hit you, you’d shoot me because that’s all cops do.”
After giving Custodio time to cool off, police asked for his driver license and he said, “[Expletive] you, I’m not giving you [expletive.]” Another officer familiar with Custodio provided his name to dispatch as Custodio got into a white minivan and attempted to back out and maneuver around fire department, EMS and police vehicles.
Dispatch informed officers Custodio has a suspended license and he was removed from the van and taken into custody.
“Mr. Custodio’s blatant disregard for his actions in the battery and mistreatment of someone allegedly in his care is something our department will not tolerate,” said Tavares Police Lt. Sarah Coursey.
Custodio is facing a charge of battery on a disabled adult and driving while license suspended, third or subsequent conviction — both felonies. He was released from the Lake County Jail on $10,000 bond.
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
EUSTIS, Florida — The former firefighter accused of killing a young woman while driving drunk was nearly twice the legal limit and claimed he had COVID-19 after the crash, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Michael Geoffrey Downs, 30, turned himself in at the Lake County Jail Friday afternoon after apparently being tipped off there was a warrant for his arrest for killing 23-year old Catherine Eaglin on March 19. Downs is charged with DUI manslaughter, three counts of DUI with property damage and one count of false information on a crash report for falsely claiming he was infected with COVID-19. He was released from the LCJ on $33,500 bond just 59 minutes after he was booked.
Downs, who worked for Eustis Fire Department and volunteered at Umatilla Fire Department, was off-duty at the time of the three-vehicle crash and traveling eastbound in a 2016 Dodge Ram on State Road 44 near Huff Road when he failed to stop and struck the back of a 2017 Nissan Sentra, “propelling” it into the back of a stopped dump truck. The Nissan, being driven by Eaglin, of DeLand was stopped on State Road 44, facing east, behind a 2020 dump truck being driven by William Gomes, 33, of Orlando shortly after 11:15 p.m. March 19, according to the crash report.
Eaglin, who turned 23 just six days before the crash, was pronounced dead on the scene, and was wearing a seatbelt. Downs, of Eustis, was airlifted to Central Florida Regional Medical Center and he was not wearing a seatbelt. Gomes was transported by Lake EMS to AdventHealth Waterman; he was wearing a seatbelt.
An updated crash report provided to Lake Legal News by FHP late Friday night states Downs’ BAC was .155, nearly twice Florida’s legal limit. It is unclear exactly what time the blood was drawn, but it was after Downs was transported by air to Central Florida Regional Medical Center in Sanford. Any BAC over .15 carries enhanced penalties, said FHP Lt. Kim Montes.
“FHP had to subpoena medical blood, as Cpl. [Eric] Almeyda was unable to obtain blood from Mr. Downs,” Montes said in an email to LLN. “With the challenge of not being able to obtain a blood sample that night, Cpl. Almeyda immediately subpoenaed the medical blood and completed the investigation before making an arrest.’
Downs also claimed he may have COVID-19. “When Cpl. Almeyda arrived at the hospital to interview and evaluate Mr. Downs, he was told by the nurses that Mr. Downs claimed he may have COVID-19,” Montes said in an email. “The hospital staff placed Cpl. Almeyda in full protective PPE to go in the room to talk with Mr. Downs.”
At the hospital, no routine field sobriety exercises were possible, nor was it possible for traffic homicide investigator Almeyda to get close enough to Downs to determine whether he had physical signs of impairment — such as bloodshot eyes or the odor of alcohol on his breath. “We couldn’t do anything because he was claiming COVID-19,” Montes explained to LLN in a phone interview.
Downs allegedly made the claim just 10 days after Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in Florida due to COVID-19.
DUI manslaughter investigations typically take several months, Montes said. “Cpl. Almeyda worked diligently to complete this investigation in two months.”
As soon as someone is arrested the speedy trial clock starts ticking, “We don’t make an arrest to build a case,” Montes said, “We build the case to make an arrest.”
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
EUSTIS, Florida — A former firefighter accused of DUI manslaughter was booked into the Lake County Jail Friday afternoon.
Michael Geoffrey Downs, 30, is facing several charges in addition to the DUI manslaughter, including three counts of DUI with property damage and a count of false information on a crash report. He was booked into LCJ and released in less than an hour on $33,500 bond.
Downs, who was an engineer medic at Eustis Fire Department, and former local paramedic of the year was terminated by the City of Eustis Friday morning. He was also Deputy Chief of the volunteer Umatilla Fire Department. “He’s been removed from our volunteer services,” City of Umatilla finance director Regina Fraizer told Lake Legal News.
Downs was off-duty at the time of the three-vehicle crash and traveling eastbound in a 2016 Dodge Ram on State Road 44 when he failed to stop and struck the back of a 2017 Nissan Sentra, “propelling” it into the back of a stopped dump truck. The Nissan, being driven by Catherine Eaglin, 23, of DeLand was stopped on State Road 44, facing east, behind a 2020 dump truck being driven by William Gomes, 33, of Orlando shortly after 11:15 p.m. March 19, according to a Florida Highway Patrol crash report.
PHOTO: Facebook Michael Downs
The report documents the crash happened in a construction area with workers that had advance warning and states Downs was “inattentive,” and he “operated the vehicle in a careless or negligent manner.”
Eaglin, who turned 23 just six days before the crash, was pronounced dead on the scene, and was wearing a seatbelt. Downs, of Eustis, was airlifted to Central Florida Regional Medical Center and he was not wearing a seatbelt. He has since been released from the hospital. Gomes was transported by Lake EMS to AdventHealth Waterman; he was wearing a seatbelt.
Several attempts to reach FHP Friday afternoon for a copy of the agency’s report were unsuccessful.
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
Inmates at the Lake County Jail are doing their part to help in the battle against the global pandemic COVID-19.
Partnering with non-profit Lake Support and Emergency Recovery Inc. — better known as LASER — the Lake County Sheriff’s Office inmate sewing program is making face masks to provide to area healthcare workers, said LCSO Lt. John Herrell in a press release.
Photo Credit: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
With a nationwide shortage of face masks in the fight against COVID-19, “The initial goal for the inmates is to quickly produce 1,000 masks and then continue making them around the clock as the need exists,” Herrell said. Their latest goal is 10,000 masks, he noted.
“We’re glad we had this program already in place so that we can help those on the front lines get these masks as quickly as possible. It’s a dire need right now and we’re doing all we can to help,’ said LCSO Sheriff Peyton Grinnell.
Photo Credit: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Masks must be made out of a breathable cotton blend and LASER has purchased some of the materials, while others have been donated by local craft stores.
The inmate sewing program was launched in 2008 to teach female inmates a skill that could be used to find gainful employment, Herrell explained in the press release. “Initially, the program was designed to make inmate uniforms, embroider officer uniforms, and repair torn uniforms, thus saving taxpayer dollars.”
Photo Credit: Lake County Sheriff’s Office
LCSO is also partnering with LASER for a local food drive to benefit Lake County residents. Donations of non-perishable food items will be accepted in three locations around the county. Donations may be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily at the following locations:
Lake County Jail, 551 West Main Street, Tavares.
First Baptist Church of Umatilla, 550 Hatfiled Drive, Umatilla.
Real Life Church of God, 1501 Steve’s Road, Clermont.
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
EUSTIS, Florida — A local firefighter, who is the deputy chief of the volunteer Umatilla Fire Department, an engineer medic at Eustis Fire Department, and former local paramedic of the year, is under criminal investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol for a three-vehicle crash that killed a 23-year-old woman March 19.
Michael Downs, 30, who was off-duty from both fire departments, was traveling eastbound in a 2016 Dodge Ram on State Road 44 when he failed to stop and struck the back of a 2017 Nissan Sentra, “propelling” it into the back of a stopped dump truck. The Nissan, being driven by Catherine Eaglin, of DeLand was stopped on State Road 44, facing east, behind a 2020 dump truck being driven by Wiliam Gomes, 33, of Orlando shortly after 11:15 p.m. March 19, according to an FHP crash report.
The report documents the crash happened in a construction area with workers that had advance warning and states Downs was “inattentive,” and he “operated the vehicle in a careless or negligent manner.” FHP troopers believe Downs was impaired.
“FHP is awaiting test results from blood that was drawn after suspicion of impairment,” FHP Lt. Kim Montes told Lake Legal News. “[Downs] is under criminal investigation.”
Eaglin, who turned 23 just six days before the crash, was pronounced dead on the scene, and was wearing a seatbelt. Downs, of Eustis, was airlifted to Central Florida Regional Medical Center and he was not wearing a seatbelt. He has since been released from the hospital. Gomes was transported by Lake EMS to AdventHealth Waterman; he was wearing a seatbelt.
Downs is on administrative leave from the Umatilla Fire Department pending the outcome of the investigation, Umatilla City Clerk Karen Howard told LLN. Downs is on medical leave from Eustis Fire Department due to injuries from the crash, according to Eustis Fire Department’s Deputy Chief Scott Davis. At press time EFD had not been officially made aware of FHP’s investigation, Davis explained to LLN.
PHOTO: Facebook Michael Downs
This is at least Downs’ third crash that was investigated by FHP in six years, Montes said. He was involved in a single-vehicle crash in 2014 on State Road 44 near the Whitehair Bridge in DeLand. In 2019, he was at-fault in a crash involving another vehicle on Interstate 4, Montes said.
The night of the March 14 crash, LLN found Downs’ Facebook page that has since been deactivated. His public profile photo showed him holding a Busch Light beer.
This is Downs’ second run-in with the law in less than three years. According to local media reports, he and two other men were accused of battering the boyfriend of one of the other men’s estranged wife in November 2017. Downs was charged with burglary with battery in that case, according to media reports. The charge was later dropped; and the arrest was apparently expunged.
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
OCALA NATIONAL FOREST, Florida — An Ocala man is being held in the Lake County Jail on two counts of attempted murder and two counts of robbery with a firearm stemming from a 2018 drug deal gone bad.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 27, 2018, Dexavion J’Neil Brown, who was 18 years old at the time, set up a meeting with a man he met in the juvenile justice system in 2017, to trade methamphetamine for a gun and $300. The pair agreed to meet at the intersection of County Road 445 and National Forest Road 18, a remote area near Alexander Springs, to make the exchange.
The victim, along with another man who was sitting in the passenger seat and a woman who was sitting in the back seat, were at the meeting location when Brown and an unidentified male pulled up. Brown walked over to the driver’s side window and spoke to man he knew from the juvenile justice system. Suddenly, Brown started shooting the man he knew and the male in the passenger seat, according to the affidavit. The driver suffered two gunshot wounds, one to the neck and one to the head and the passenger was shot six times in his head and upper torso. Both men were airlifted to Central Florida Regional Medical Center in critical condition.
The female in the back seat told a Lake County Sheriff’s Office detective she could smell gunpowder as she hid behind the passenger seat and pleaded with the unidentified male not to kill her. He told her, “Shut up, (expletive,)” and she fled from the vehicle into the woods. Brown took a cell phone, keys and a gun and fled the scene.
Brown was identified by the victim he personally knew, and in a photo line-up by a witness and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Brown was transported to the Lake County Jail by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday. He is being held on $200,000 bond.
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.
Social media sometimes gets a bad rap, but it has opened doors for law enforcement they never imagined.
While most law enforcement agencies in Lake County have a Facebook page, there is just something different about the Tavares Police Department and Eustis Police Department pages. Eustis Police Officer Lauren Brown has created an alter ego — Major Trooper — who comes with his very own set of policies.
Photo Credit: Bonnie Whicher Photography
Brown has used the character to have fun with the community, both on Facebook and in person. Major Trooper has attended many events including the recent Georgefest Chili Cook-off, Family Fun Day and homeowner’s association meetings. “When he’s not around, people ask me where he is,” Brown tells Lake Legal News.
Major Trooper is a favorite of a local 8-year-old boy — his mom told Brown that when her son saw the character, Major Trooper made his entire day. “We like to show people if they’re having a bad day, the police department doesn’t just catch criminals. We’re here to brighten your day.”
The residents seem to love Major Trooper. “I have personally received countless positive comments from people that I meet in the community about our posts on Facebook. These folks range from children to older citizens. People like to see that we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” explains Eustis Police Chief Gary Calhoun.
Some may think silly posts on Facebook are unprofessional for a police department, but Calhoun disagrees. “I feel it is good for the community to see the humorous side of police officers,” he explains to LLN. “They see us more like real people if they can tell we have a sense of humor.”
On January 3, 2020, Major Trooper was borne from a gift from Brown’s younger sister. Calhoun was out of town and Major Trooper took over and quickly posted his new policies.
“Good morning to all and Happy New Year!!! Chief Calhoun is currently on vacation and just like school we all get a substitute. Major Trooper here and I have taken command of the agency and I will like to change a few things:
Photo Credit: Bonnie Whicher Photography
1 — We will be closed on Mondays. We hate Mondays and everyone dreads them, so it’s done.
2 — All meetings on taco Tuesday will take place at Tijuana Flats.
3 — Friday’s dress down day uniform will be Hawaiian shirts, shorts and crocs.
4 — The only donuts that will be allowed are glazed and sprinkles. Sprinkles are for winners.
5 — The Fire Department will cook us dinner and admit that cops are awesome and wash all patrol vehicles.
This is the way and I have spoken!!!”
The Facebook post received numerous comments, reactions and shares and when Calhoun got back into town, he was quick to make his feelings known with a short video. The video, lasting only 5 seconds shows Calhoun walking to the door of his office and rolling Major Trooper’s helmet down the hall like a bowling ball.
But just two days later, Calhoun conceded with a new video. He states, “Due to the popularity of Major Trooper, I have decided to reinstate him to full duty and immediately implement policy No. 5,” which happens to be his favorite. “My personal favorite is the firefighters washing the police vehicles,“ Calhoun tells LLN.
When Calhoun reinstated Major Trooper, it caught the attention of Tavares Police Sgt. Sarah Coursey, who is one of the women behind TPD’s extremely popular Facebook page. The post prompted the following exchange:
Photo Credit: Bonnie Whicher Photography
Tavares Police Department: Hmmm Maybe Chief [Stoney] Lubins needs to see these polices.
Eustis Police Department: If he needs a uniform demo test we will be happy to AOA (assist on arrival).
Tavares Police Department: Eustis Police Department let’s make this happen — have your people get with our people.
Eustis Police Department: Agreed.
Marilyn M. Aciego (Editor-in-Chief LLN): Lake Legal News needs to be notified of any demos in advance, please. The cooperation of both Eustis Police Department and Tavares Police Department is appreciated.
Eustis Police Department: Marilyn M. Aciego our Public Relations Team will make it happen.
Tavares Police Department: Let’s make this happen.
And it did.
On a quiet Wednesday a few weeks ago LLN was invited to witness the meeting of Major Trooper and Capt. Yoda. LLN toured the new Tavares Public Safety building as Captain Yoda and Major Trooper shared coffee, donuts (with sprinkles, because sprinkles are for winners,) chickie nuggies, took over Chief Stoney Lubins’ office and most importantly forged a friendship. Expect to see more of Major Trooper and Captain Yoda on a Facebook page near you.
Photo Credit: Bonnie Whicher Photography
Coursey has been one of the women behind the page for about four years, and when the page became extremely popular, School Resource Officer Melissa Robinson came along for the ride. The pair shares everything from memes, events and wanted suspects.
Coursey said she enjoys interacting with the community, “We’re not just a badge and a uniform. [Social media] has made us more approachable.”
Coursey also has the blessing of Lubins, “The purpose is to reach a lot of the community,” he says. “It’s so easy for us to reach so many [people] at the same time.”
Using the Facebook page to identify suspects has been very successful for TPD. Coursey estimates the department has identified at least 90 percent of the suspects they have posted, “There has only been one or two [we haven’t identified,]” she tells LLN.
“It has been extremely effective in putting wanted suspects out [in the public,]” Lubins notes.
Coursey plans on running the TPD page the way she always has. As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Lubins agrees, “We want to let [the public] know we are people.”
The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.OKAHUMPKA, Florida — The tip of a Black & Mild cigarillo left at the scene of a home invasion and robbery of a 97-year-old World War II veteran led to a suspect’s arrest Wednesday, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.In July 2019, the elderly victim went to a local convenience store to purchase some items, and when he arrived home, he was met at his back door by a suspect armed with a gun, later identified as Kevin Eugene Leeks Jr., 29, said LCSO Lt. John Herrell.Family members later found the victim unconscious with head injuries and found his wallet was missing. Detectives found the tip of a Black & Mild cigarillo at the scene and collected it for processing, Herrell said. During the course of the investigation, detectives obtained surveillance video from the convenience store where the victim made his purchases; on the video, Leeks is observed buying the same type of cigarillo and leaving within minutes of the victim.Detectives obtained a search warrant for Leeks’ DNA and the sample was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing. FDLE matched Leeks’ DNA to the cigarillo tip and to DNA found on the victim’s pants, Herrell said.On July 13, 2019, just two days after the home invasion, Leeks was arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon by Leesburg Police. According to Lake County Clerk of Court records, that case is still open. It’s unconfirmed whether the gun — a Taurus .380 — is the same gun used in the home invasion, Herrell said. A detective spoke with Leeks while he was in jail on the firearm charge and he admitted it was him in the store’s surveillance video, according to a probable cause affidavit. He refused to answer questions about the home invasion.Leeks’ was picked up Wednesday at a motel in Leesburg by the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force. He is charged with home invasion/robbery and theft from a person 65 or older. He is also charged with failure to appear on a prior case where he was charged with driving with a suspended license. He is being held on $79,000 bond.
