POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A routine traffic stop on Monday morning ended with a Poinciana man behind bars for a grudge involving a damaged air conditioner.
Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office pulled over 55-year-old Jorge Luis Morales, Jr. around 10:45 am on US 27, just near the Posner Park shopping center in Davenport.
The arrest stems from a warrant for felony criminal mischief following an incident reported back in December 2025. According to investigators, the dispute began after Morales moved out of a rental property.
The homeowner told authorities that he withheld the security deposit because Morales allegedly left the residence in poor condition, citing various damages that weren’t there when the lease started.
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The situation escalated when the exterior air conditioning unit was found intentionally damaged. During the subsequent investigation, a PCSO detective spoke with Morales over the phone.
During that conversation, Morales reportedly admitted to damaging the AC unit, stating he did so specifically because the landlord refused to return his deposit money.
After months of the warrant remaining active, Morales was finally taken into custody during the Monday stop and booked into the Polk County Jail.
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