Southwest Florida is asking for the public’s help tracking down four violent offenders, who have been arrested a collective 148 times in Lee County alone.
Over the last three weeks, Keeshall Whitfield (DOB 9/24/75), Reginald Tucker (DOB 1/1/80), Christopher Banks (10/2/71) and Mark Deforge (DOB 1/16/74) have all committed acts of violence in the central part of Lee County. All are repeat offenders with lengthy criminal histories and each have active warrants for their arrest for battery charges. Whitfield, who has been booked 71 times into the jail, is wanted for getting into a physical altercation with a female just before Easter. Tucker, a documented gang member with 22 priors under his belt, is wanted for throwing the victim on the ground over a dispute regarding a bus pass. Banks, a 35 time offender, is wanted for throwing a chair and becoming violent with a victim who was trying to break up a verbal altercation between Banks and a female. Deforge is a registered convicted felon, who punched a female in the face and shoved her into a doorway on March 18. He has 20 prior arrests on his rap sheet.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of any of these four offenders is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.swflcrimestoppers.org or by texting a tip to CRIMES (274637) Keyword: REWARD.
What are our courts doing a catch and release program?