FROSTPROOF, Fla. – A reported ATV theft earlier this month led to the arrest of Sergio Miguel Rivas, 42, of Frostproof, who is now facing multiple felony charges.
The case began on September 7, when a victim in the Avon Park area reported that someone had cut through a fence and stolen an orange Kubota ATV and a trail camera from their property near US 27.
The investigation took a new turn on September 24, when deputies responded to reports of trespassers riding a red ATV matching the description of the stolen vehicle.
The next day, deputies identified Rivas as a suspect. At his residence, Rivas was spotted wearing an orange shirt similar to the one worn by a suspect in the surveillance footage. Upon seeing deputies, Rivas quickly removed the shirt—an action that earned him a Tampering with Evidence charge.
On the property, deputies located a red ATV, which Rivas claimed had been “dropped off” by an unknown person. Authorities later confirmed it was the stolen Kubota.
Additional charges were added after an Ag-Crimes detective noticed environmental hazards on the property, such as unpermitted waste management.
Rivas escalated the situation further by shouting at his parents in Spanish, instructing them not to talk to deputies. He was subsequently charged with Tampering with a Witness, a third-degree felony.
Rivas now faces the following charges:
Grand Theft
Burglary
Break or Injure Fence (x2)
Trespass
Dealing in Stolen Property
Tampering with Evidence
Tampering with Witness (3rd Degree Felony)
Failure to Obtain DEP Permit (x2)
Unauthorized Possession of a Crate
Create/Maintain Nuisance Injurious to Health
This arrest showcases the joint efforts of local deputies and agricultural crime detectives in tracking down property crimes and environmental violations in rural communities.
