Florida deputies force way into wrong home in search of shoplifting suspect
Share and Follow


OVIEDO, Fla. (WFLA) — A miscommunication resulted in Seminole County deputies barging into a Lake Mary home in search of a suspect in an alleged shoplifting incident.

According to NBC affiliate WESH, the miscommunication occurred between the Oviedo police and the sheriff’s office resulting in deputies forcing their way into the wrong home.

The incident began when deputies knocked on the residence of Victor Gordillo Jr. just after 10 p.m. on a Sunday night back in June.

Deputies told reporters that also inside the home at the time was his wife, Jennifer, along with their kids and relatives who happened to be visiting.

Reporters said that the situation quickly escalated, becoming tense, when deputies asked Gordillo Jr. to step outside. After he refused, deputies pushed their way through the door before he could close it.

Gordillo Jr., a 20-year Army Reservist, had just returned home from duty. Deputies then wrestled him to the floor and handcuffed him, Wesh reported.

According to reporters, the reason for his arrest stemmed from an incident at a now-closed Winn-Dixie in Oviedo on June 8, where a suspected shoplifting incident occurred.

Oviedo Police said that the store managers reviewed surveillance video after an employee told them he observed a man enter the frozen food section, grab four bags of shrimp valued at $30 each, and leave the store without paying.

Police said the video for the license tag led them to Gordillo Jr.’s father, Victor Washington Gordillo, 70.

Deputies realized their mistake nearly half an hour after Gordillo Jr.’s arrest, and he was taken by paramedics to a hospital for treatment.

The sheriff’s office said several deputies involved in the incident were reprimanded and received remedial traning.

Reporters said that the family’s attorney intends to sue in both federal and circuit courts and the state attorney’s office declined to prosecute the alleged shoplifiting case against Gordillo Jr.’s father.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

LIVE RADAR: Central Florida’s Tropical Rains Expected to Persist into Next Week

ORLANDO, Fla. – There are a few different things contributing to a…

Tropical Storm Priscilla Gains Power in the Pacific Near Mexico’s Coast

MIAMI – Tropical Storm Priscilla was strengthening slowly in the Pacific Ocean…

Court Halts Trump’s Policy on Holding Migrant Teens in Adult Detention Centers

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Trump administration policy to…

Urbana Public Hearing Held by Reparations Committee

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The State of Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission…

Photo Slideshow: Successful Fourth Annual Healing Heroes Fashion Show Draws Full Crowd

SAVANNAH, Ga. () — ‘s tribute to breast cancer survivors, the 4th…

Nectar’s, the iconic Vermont venue where Phish got their start, quietly closes its doors after half a century

BURLINGTON, Vt. – As a Greek immigrant who came to the United…

Appeals court rules against Trump in birthright citizenship battle

(The Hill) — A federal appeals court ruled against President Trump on…

Central American Gyre Poised for a Comeback: Here’s Why Central Florida Must Pay Attention

ORLANDO, Fla. – We’re truly on the downhill portion of the 2025…