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News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Carrie Horstman, Brian Bruchey, and Julianna Rivera. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Aug 15, 2025
Man recently released from prison gets arrested again after burglary
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
A man who was recently released from state prison was arrested again by deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
23-year old Stephan Rice IV completed a four-year prison sentence for grand theft motor vehicle and was released on June 12, 2025.
On June 30, 2025, according to a PCSO detective, Rice burglarized a vehicle in Polk City and stole a wallet. A short time later, Rice made a purchase of about $765 on a credit card that was in the stolen wallet. A warrant for Rice's arrest was obtained.
On August 11th, just after midnight, PCSO deputies located Rice at the Circle K store on Commonwealth Avenue in Polk City and arrested him on the warrant without incident.
Rice was taken to the jail on the charges for: Burglary of Conveyance, Grand Theft, Felony Petit Theft, and Unlawful Use of a Person's ID.
Stephan Rice's prior criminal history includes: arrests for grand theft, petit theft, motor vehicle theft, grand theft of a firearm, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, conspiracy to commit burglary, armed burglary of a dwelling, battery on law enforcement, assault on law enforcement, resisting an officer without violence, corruption by threat to public official, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.