Sheriff's Office breaks up 8 'COVID' parties and make 19 arrests over weekend

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office was able to stop eight “COVID” house parties over the weekend, and made 19 arrests.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report, through the Intelligence and Tourist Policing units, the agency conducted a saturation patrol July 24-25 in the west corridor of the county. The goal of the saturation patrol was to address the house parties dubbed “COVID parties,” which have emerged in the region. The parties have led to multiple violent incidents including shootings over the last several weeks and one homicide.

Through the cooperation of the homeowner association, the Sheriff’s Office was able to stop eight large parties before they started, the report stated. The agency’s units who assisted consisted of the Tourist Policing Unit, Patrol, Criminal Investigations, K9, DUI and Aggressive Driving Units. The operation resulted in over 144 traffic stops, 74 citations, 19 arrests and 4 firearms were  confiscated. Charges from the arrests included possession of cocaine, fleeing to elude, possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, street racing, DUI, driving while license suspended and an out of county warrant. One stolen firearm was reported out of Orlando.

Units responded to 71 noise complaints in these two nights.

Anyone with information related to this case or any other similar incidents is asked to contact the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office at 407-348-2222 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477, where information leading to a felony arrest may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.