Central Florida News
Jamie Merrill Named President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (BGCCF) has announced the appointment of its new President & CEO, Jamie Merrill.
Merrill is an expert in operations management. A resident of Lake County, Merrill has spent the last 16 years in positions of increasing responsibility in the senior living and health care industries, culminating in the position of Chief Operating Officer of Sonata Senior Living in Orlando. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Brookdale Senior Living, directing the operations for 72 senior living communities across Florida. Merrill serves on several local and national boards, including Florida Senior Living Association, The University of Central Florida Senior Living and Hospitality and Argentum Women in Leadership, and was awarded the 2022 McKnight’s Woman of Distinction. A graduate of Wayne State University, Merrill and her husband Blake are parents of two children.
“Jamie is a visionary leader with a heart for service and developing others,” said Lisa Mihelich, Chair of BGCCF. “She has the clear-eyed vision and experience-forged wisdom necessary to help build on the tremendous strengths of our organization, and our staff’s outstanding track record enriching the lives and prospects of underserved children.”
Brock Nicholas, a BGCCF board member and past chair who led the search committee, said, “Jamie’s management and communication skills will attract and retain top talent in a competitive environment. Her operational expertise will ensure delivery of enriching programming and growth to the children in our community. The search committee is enormously confident in the strength of leadership, and future of our organization, with Jamie’s appointment as CEO.”
As CEO, Merrill will lead Florida’s largest Boys & Girls Club organization. Currently, BGCCF operates 40 Club sites in 6 counties—Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard and Nassau. Last year, the organization served more than 11,000 children, offering them academic support, extracurricular enrichment and positive adult role models during the non-school hours. The Clubs are located in neighborhoods that rank, on average, at the 80th percentile for household poverty, nationally.
“My personal and professional life has always encompassed serving others, from youth to seniors,” says Merrill. “I am excited to join BGCCF and eager to serve beside such a dedicated team, who is focused on the critical mission of developing our future generations while reaching forward for new opportunities to broaden our impact.”
As CEO, Merrill will follow BGCCF’s longtime leader, Gary Cain, who served in the role for 29 years. Cain will remain with the organization in an emeritus role, focusing on special projects.
Central Florida News
Attorney General James Uthmeter announces 100 felony counts against Kissimmee man, sues AI platform
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, that a Kissimmee man faces 100 felony counts involving child sexual abuse material and images depicting sexual activity with animals. In a separate action, the state sued an artificial intelligence company accused of enabling users to generate sexualized images of children and other people without their consent.
The criminal case names Jerry Jesus Reyes, 26. The civil lawsuit targets Rengstorff Consulting Ltd., the company operating the A2E artificial intelligence platform.
“There is nothing more evil than the sexual exploitation of children, and anyone who possesses, shares, or creates these images is an active participant in that abuse,” Uthmeier said in a statement.
Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon. Photo by Florida National News
Tip leads to criminal investigation
According to the attorney general’s office, the Reyes investigation began with a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children concerning activity on a Snapchat account.
Detectives with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit used subpoenas and search warrants to link the account to Reyes, authorities said. Investigators reported finding files depicting the sexual abuse of children and sexual activity involving an animal.
The charges include:
- 86 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child.
- 13 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual activity with animals.
- One count of transmitting child pornography by electronic device.
Potential prison penalties
According to the announcement, the child sexual abuse material possession charges were reclassified as first-degree felonies because the case involved 10 or more images. First-degree felonies generally carry a maximum sentence of 30 years per count under Florida law.
The second-degree felony transmission charge carries a five-year mandatory minimum, according to the announcement, and a statutory maximum of 15 years. Third-degree felonies generally carry up to five years per count.
Reyes could face decades in state prison if convicted. His total sentence would depend on the convictions, applicable sentencing provisions and whether the judge orders sentences served concurrently or consecutively.
The attorney general’s office said Reyes was being held at the Osceola County Jail on $100,000 bond, with conditions of release prohibiting internet access and contact with minors.
Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day is prosecuting the case in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Separate lawsuit targets AI platform
In the civil case, the state alleges A2E allows users to upload photographs or videos of real people, including children, and generate nude or sexually explicit depictions without their consent.
The complaint also alleges the platform permits users to digitally alter adults to appear underage in sexualized imagery.
Although A2E’s terms prohibit certain abusive content, the state alleges the company failed to enforce those restrictions through adequate monitoring, consent verification and reporting of illegal material.
The complaint cites separate criminal investigations in Tampa and Tallahassee in which people allegedly used A2E to generate child sexual abuse material.
“Predators who traffic in the abuse of children and animals have no place in Florida,” Uthmeier said.
He added that companies profiting from AI tools that facilitate child sexual abuse material or nonconsensual sexual imagery “will be held accountable.”
State seeks injunction and financial penalties
The lawsuit, filed in Sarasota County, alleges violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The state seeks a permanent injunction restricting the company’s provision of the challenged AI tools, restitution, recovery of profits and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per willful violation.
Reyes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The allegations against Rengstorff Consulting have not been proven in court. Responses from Reyes or his attorney and the company were not included in the materials available for this report.
Central Florida News
FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.
The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.
Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.
FBI priorities and violent crime
Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.
Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.
The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.
Photo by Florida National News
Cooperation across jurisdictions
Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.
Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.
Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.
Patel highlights partnerships in X post
“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.
Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.
In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.
The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..
Global threats and local policing
The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.
The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.
FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.
Training and professional development
Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.
Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.
The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.
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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com
Four-day conference at the Orange County Convention Center features leadership training, educational workshops and an exposition showcasing law enforcement products and services.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Police chiefs and public safety professionals from around the world are gathering in Orlando for the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exposition, running Oct. 24–27 at the Orange County Convention Center.
According to organizers, the annual event draws more than 16,000 public safety professionals for training, networking and opportunities to explore developments in law enforcement. The four-day conference also features an exposition with more than 600 vendors showcasing products and services for police agencies. Those figures describe the event’s advertised scale rather than a confirmed attendance count. IACP Conference 2026
Photo by Andrew Jeng / Florida National News
Training and leadership development
The conference brings police executives and other law enforcement professionals together to exchange ideas, strengthen professional connections and explore resources for their agencies.
Its programming centers on education, networking and exhibit hall learning, giving participants opportunities to discuss policing practices and examine equipment and services used in public safety. IACP Conference 2026
Photo by Andrew Jeng / Florida National News
Monday’s schedule
Monday, Oct. 26, includes educational workshops and committee, section and division meetings scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the published conference schedule.
A general assembly is scheduled for 10–11:30 a.m., followed by a Speaker Series session from 2–3 p.m. The exposition hall is scheduled to open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Chiefs Night is scheduled for 7:30–11 p.m. at Universal Islands of Adventure.
Photo by Andrew Jeng / Florida National News
Conference concludes Tuesday
Tuesday, Oct. 27, features additional workshops and organizational meetings, with a closing general assembly scheduled for 10–11:30 a.m.
The exposition hall is scheduled to open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An annual banquet reception and dinner, requiring a ticket, is scheduled for 6–9:30 p.m. at the convention center.
The published schedule is subject to change.
About the association
Founded in 1893, the IACP has more than 35,000 members in over 180 countries, according to its website. The nonprofit organization, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, supports the policing profession through advocacy, research, outreach and education.
Its membership includes law enforcement professionals of all ranks and civilian leaders working across the criminal justice system. International Association of Chiefs of Police
Central Florida News4 days agoGlobal Police Leaders Gather in Orlando for IACP 2026 Conference
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