Lee County, Florida

Authorities in Lee County, Florida, have arrested 38-year-old Uriel Santiago Perez, a Mexican national living in the country illegally, on felony sexual battery charges involving a minor. According to law enforcement, Perez contacted a homeowner in North Fort Myers under the pretext of touring a property listed for sale, then allegedly isolated an underage boy in a bathroom and sexually assaulted him. The Lee County Sheriff's Office established probable cause and took Perez into custody; he remains held as criminal proceedings continue.

Background checks found Perez had entered the United States without legal authorization and had a prior 2013 prostitution conviction in Georgia. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer with the Lee County Jail, seeking to take custody of Perez for federal immigration proceedings and possible removal once the criminal case concludes or if he is released from local custody. Perez is a transgender woman; some early reports misidentified sex, which authorities have since clarified.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office in Florida held a funeral service at Hertz Arena in Estero for K-9 Dundee, who died in the line of duty on Sept. 28 while assisting deputies at a scene in North Fort Myers. Officials believe Dundee died from a medical event, noting no gunshot or stab wounds were found on the dog.

Dundee was certified in patrol and narcotics detection, completing 173 deployments and 28 apprehensions during his career. The sheriff's office described him as "a member of our LCSO family" who "ran toward danger without hesitation," and honored him as a fallen officer who "served with courage, fought with heart, and remained faithful to his duty until his very last breath."

Iowa lawmakers convened a special session on Oct. 2 and approved an expansion of the state's Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program, authorizing up to $1.36 billion in tax incentives to help secure a proposed $15 billion Mesabi Metallics steel mill in Lee County in southeast Iowa. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law hours after the legislature adjourned. The vote split unevenly across party lines: Republicans backed the changes 85-8, while Democrats opposed them 28-18.

Critics, including some Republicans, argued the state overpaid, with one senator contending a rival bid from Arkansas was never a serious competing option and that Iowa effectively negotiated against itself. Supporters, including Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham, defended the deal as performance-based, noting the state won't commit funds until the plant is operational. The project is pitched as a major driver of high-paying jobs in rural Iowa, and the debate highlights ongoing scrutiny of large state subsidy packages used to attract industrial investment.

Iowa lawmakers met in a special session Friday and advanced legislation to raise the cap on state tax incentives needed to secure a $15 billion steel plant proposed by Mesabi Metallics, a Minnesota-based company owned by India's Essar Group. President Trump announced the project Monday alongside Iowa officials, calling it a major economic and national security win roughly five weeks before the midterm elections, even as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's claim that the "deal is done" has met local skepticism. State officials confirmed the company would not build in Iowa under existing law, which capped credits at 5% of investment over five years.

Gov. Kim Reynolds asked lawmakers to raise that to 10%, paid over 10 years and contingent on job creation — potentially worth up to $1.5 billion. The Iowa House advanced the bill, and a Senate committee approved it for a floor vote despite some Republican opposition. The project is expected to land in Lee County, though the company hasn't committed to a site, and the county lacks zoning rules governing such development. As recently as July, Mesabi's job listings pointed to Kentucky before the project shifted to Iowa. Officials cite competition with Arkansas and Kentucky; analysts note parallels to Wisconsin's scaled-back Foxconn deal.

A weeklong immigration enforcement operation in Southwest Florida led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, alongside more than five federal, state and local agencies, resulted in 500 arrests between Aug. 24 and Aug. 27. Those detained included a Haitian national charged with murder, a Honduran man accused of molesting two children, a suspected Mexican cartel member, and a Guatemalan man accused of trying to use a Taser on an arresting officer.

Among the most serious cases, Lee County deputies arrested Whycliff Longin, 28, an asylum-seeking Haitian national, on charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder, sexual battery and burglary after a woman was found dead and another survived an attack in Lehigh Acres. Other detainees faced charges or histories involving battery, DUI, domestic violence, drug possession, hit-and-run incidents and repeated illegal reentry after deportation.

Participating agencies included the Florida Highway Patrol, Lee County Sheriff's Office, Florida National Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the operation, citing Florida's extensive law enforcement partnerships with ICE across all 67 counties.

A Florida woman, Christine Sweet, was arrested after deputies said she threw a glass bottle of Veganaise mayo at another driver during a road rage incident in Lee County in August.

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Sweet was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on Corkscrew Road when her driver cut off another car. Sweet allegedly began yelling profanities at the other driver, then threw the glass bottle at her when the vehicles were side by side. The bottle struck the victim in the face, causing a laceration under her eye. Sweet reportedly told her driver to flee the scene afterward.

Deputies located Sweet's vehicle Thursday at a shopping plaza on South Tamiami Trail and took her into custody. She has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.