Representatives of FBI Jacksonville and FBI St. Louis offices presented several awards to representatives of the Lady Lake Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for their swift actions leading to the identification and arrest of FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Donald Fields II in January 2025. Fields had been wanted since May 2023 for sex trafficking of at least one minor, and faced charges of statutory rape, statutory sodomy, child molestation, and witness tampering in Franklin County Circuit Court in Missouri.
"It's not every day that a department our size receives this kind of recognition, and I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t feel a little surreal," said Chief Steve Hunt. "I stand here humbled and proud—not for myself, but for the incredible men and women I work alongside every single day... To the members of the Lady Lake Police Department: you are the heart of this town. You work long hours. You make sacrifices. And you do it with professionalism and integrity. This recognition belongs to all of you. And finally, to the people of Lady Lake: this is your win, too. Your trust, your cooperation, and your resilience are what drive us forward. We serve because you allow us to, and we never take that privilege for granted."
Photo left to right: LLPD Chief Steve Hunt, LLPD Sgt. Michelle Bilbrey, LSCO Dispatcher Brooke Scott, LLPD Cpl. Andru Eckerdt, and Greg Federico, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Jacksonville.