5 April 11-17, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | CuLture | Cafe | MusiC | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | TIKTOK COP Is a St. Lucie sheriff engaging in public service or self-promotion? BY ALEX DELUCA S tanding in front of a po- lice-raided residence next to a sign that pro- claims, “Fentanyl Drug House Closed for Business,” St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pear- son announces his office’s latest drug trafficking crackdown in a new viral video. “We just concluded a four-month investi- gation targeting those that are peddling fen- tanyl in our community,” Pearson says alongside one of his officers as the arrested suspects sit in handcuffs in the background. Throughout the video posted on social me- dia this week, one of the arrestees shouts, “You’re trying to make a peaceful video. This ain’t no peaceful video. Fuck 12. Fuck St. Lucie County.” The 30-second clip ends with Pear- son and the officer sending their tag-line mes- sage to suspected criminals: “Not in St. Lucie.” The video has garnered 7.7 million views and 1.1 million likes on TikTok. In the vein of former Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff Joe Arpaio, who billed him- self as “America’s toughest sheriff,” Pearson has taken to social media to feature his “Not in St. Lucie” arrest videos in which the sheriff stands before suspects and shares informa- tion about their arrests. He appears to have the detainees stay at the scene so he can stage his tough-on-crime theatrics, blurring the line between politicking and policing. A TikTok video from last month with the logo “Keith Pearson St. Lucie Sheriff” bran- dished on the bottom features 18-year-old Elijah Norton standing in handcuffs behind the sheriff. “I’m St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pear- son. Earlier today, Elijah thought he was go- ing to drive through St. Lucie County in a stolen vehicle and get into a car crash,” the sheriff said in the video. “Working closely with the Florida High- way Patrol not only on the sea but on land, Elijah’s now in custody. Our message is this to criminals,” the sheriff says, before another of- ficer chimes in, “Not in St. Lucie!” Another viral Instagram video celebrating the arrest of Franklin Sanders for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle and evading police did not sit well with some social media users who thought the sheriff was mocking the man as he sat next to a white BMW with his head down. One user called the video “gross,” pointing out Sanders has not been found guilty in a court of law. “Franklin Sanders and his juvenile com- panion thought they were going to come through St. Lucie County with a stolen vehi- cle,” Pearson says. “With the Broward Task Force on their tail — ain’t happening.” “Although this is an M5, and it’s super fast, we have the scat pack out. Hey, what did you think?” Pearson asks, looking over at Sanders. “Good? Yeah, no comment.” Pearson ends the video by giving a shout out to neighboring and assisting sheriff’s of- fices “for making sure we put this bad guy be- hind bars where he belongs.” WPTV later reported Sanders was not arrested in St. Lu- cie or by the agency. He had been arrested in Osceola County after police pursued him across several counties. Pearson also stars in the sheriff’s office “Find Out Friday” videos in which he runs through recent arrests, as well as the made- for-TV segment called “Turn Yourself In Tuesday,” where he features people with open arrest warrants. “Do you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest? If you don’t want to become Facebook famous, come on down to 900 N. Rock Road and turn yourself in. We do have vacancies, and [Derquan] Robinson, as al- ways, if you need a ride, give me a call, and I’ll be happy to send someone to come pick you up. I’ll even throw in a complimentary top bunk pass,” Pearson says, referring to a sus- pect who he claims has an outstanding war- rant in a fentanyl case. Aside from highlighting the sheriff’s office arrests and work in the community, there may be an ulterior motive to the sheriff’s so- cial media antics: Pearson is running to keep his position as St. Lucie’s top cop in the up- coming November election. In December 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis ap- pointed Pearson to the position following the abrupt retirement of sheriff Ken Mascara, who the Florida Department of Law Enforce- ment (FDLE) months earlier had found to have engaged in a straw-candidate scheme to take away votes from his opponent in a prior sheriff’s election. (A state attorney later de- clined to bring charges against Mascara, say- ing there was a lack of evidence he funded the ghost candidacy.) Pearson, a lieutenant who oversaw the county’s school security, was picked over higher-ranking officers in the department. His appointment as sheriff drew vocal back- lash from some county leaders who noted that Pearson was mentioned in the FDLE in- vestigation, which alleged he had helped Mascara put out campaign signs for the straw candidate. Pearson joined the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Of- fice as a certified detention deputy in June 2003 after working for the Florida Depart- ment of Corrections. He became a sergeant in August 2018 and a lieutenant in January 2021. He is part of a new wave of Florida’s “Law and Order” sheriffs, following in the footsteps of Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno with his social media stunts. As previously highlighted by New Times, Marceno uses his office’s social media page to feature self- promotional videos, including one in which he wore tactical gear and brandished an assault rifle. He also appeared in videos where he would place yard signs in front of houses, stating, “This drug house is closed. We’re cleaning up the real estate here.” His videos on the sheriff’s office’s social media pages refer to the county jail as the “Marceno Motel” and quip about its recent “guests.” Marceno notably commissioned a custom “Marceno Motel”-emblazoned police van to transport detainees to the county jail. Both Pearson and Marceno do not shy away from sharing information about arrest- ees. However, the Lee County sheriff has gone a step further by publicly releasing the names of juvenile suspects. In the week following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Marceno’s office posted a video of a handcuffed fifth grader being placed in a cop car along with the 10-year-old’s name and date of birth after he was accused of making a school threat. Marceno later appeared on na- tional and international news for the stunt, touting his “no tolerance” approach. “We’re going to handcuff them, we’re go- ing to post their picture, and there’s going to be a perp walk,” Marceno said. “I don’t care who it is. I don’t care what age it is.” [email protected] St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson (left) in a viral post-raid TikTok video. St. Lucie County Sheriff screenshot via TikTok | METRO | MARCENO NOTABLY COMMISSIONED A CUSTOM “MARCENO MOTEL”- EMBLAZONED POLICE VAN TO TRANSPORT DETAINEES TO THE COUNTY JAIL.
