LEHIGH ACRES, Fla — A former Lee County deputy has been arrested in connection to a drive-by shooting at a jewelry store in Lehigh Acres.
On June 30th, The Lee County Sheriff's Office says deputies responded to an alarm activation at Gold Forever Jewelry located at 904 Lee Boulevard Suite #103.
Investigators located a broken glass door and a bullet casing in the road.
Deputies say they reviewed footage from a nearby business, and witnessed the driver shooting out of a truck toward the jewelry store then speeding away.
This is nearby surveillance video of the truck, deputies say:
During their investigation, detectives identified a truck involved in the incident.
Deputies say the truck's owner is Michael Soto - a former Lee County Sheriff's office deputy.
On Tuesday, July 2nd, the sheriff's office says Soto was brought in for questioning and resigned the same day.
On Tuesday, August 6th, deputies say Soto turned himself into the Lee County Jail.
On Wednesday, August 7th, Soto bonded out - according to the jail's website.
Soto is charged with discharging a firearm from a vehicle and shooting a deadly missile into a public building.
The sheriff's office says Michael Soto was hired on November 19, 2018.
He was assigned to the corrections bureau at the time of his resignation.
In a press release, Sheriff Carmine Marceno released the following statement:
“I hold every agency member to the highest standard. Former Deputy Soto's actions betrayed our community's trust and nobody is above the law. Transparency remains a priority and today’s announcement reinforces my mission to deliver the highest level of service to the citizens of Lee County.”
