Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested 32-year-old Robert Cruceta-Pimentel today, December 11, 2024, for the following charges: felony murder (2nd Degree), conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of cannabis with intent to sell, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, maintaining a vehicle for drug use/sales, tampering with physical evidence (x2), providing false information to a law enforcement officer during an investigation, and unlawful use of two-way communication device.

The charges stem from a December 2023 botched robbery that resulted in the self-defense shooting of 33-year-old Harold Omar Sepulveda-Cruz (Cruz) of Davenport at the Tropicana Resort Motel near I-4 and US 27. Cruz died as a result of the shooting. Cruceta conspired with Cruz to stage a robbery during a marijuana transaction in his, Cruceta's, vehicle. When Cruz threatened the victim in the car with Cruceta, the victim shot and killed Cruz in self-defense. (See the below news release dated December 20, 2023.)

Cruceta was originally arrested on the above charges on December 20, 2023. He was held in the Polk County Jail on no bond until he was released on December 8, 2024 after the State Attorney's Office dismissed (temporarily) the charges against Cruceta.

The Sheriff's Office was able to quickly locate a key witness after the case was temporarily dropped, allowing the State Attorney's Office to re-file all the charges against Mr. Cruceta.

Subsequent to Mr. Cruceta's release from the Polk County Jail on December 8, 2024, Mr. Cruceta's lawyer, Mr. Ralph R. Maiolino III, Esq. of the law firm Smith & Eulo PLLC, released a snarky and braggadocios statement / news release about his client that included false and exaggerated claims to the West Orlando News, which they posted on December 9, 2024.

"I would like to thank lawyer Ralph R. Maiolino of the law firm Smith & Eulo PLLC for bringing to my attention that the murder charge against his client, Mr. Cruceta, had been temporarily dropped. This allowed us to quickly locate a needed witness, which enabled the State Attorney's Office to re-file murder and other charges against his client. I thank the State Attorney's Office professional team for their persistent and hard work in this case."  -- Grady Judd, Sheriff

Attached is a copy of the arrest warrant. Below is a copy of the original news release dated December 20, 2023. Surveillance video that recorded the robbery and shooting is available at: https://youtu.be/Po2GNJMfx6s 

The video clearly shows Mr. Cruceta searching the back seat area of his car, taking the deceased man's cell phone, identification, and other items, and throwing them over a high fence, attempting to get rid of evidence, including evidence that he knew the deceased man personally. He would later lie to detectives, saying that he did not know the man.

Click here to see the previously sent news release: https://tinyurl.com/bdhvspun