PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — A Port St. Lucie man faces multiple charges involving a minor after officers served a search warrant at a home Thursday morning, authorities said.
Members of the Port St. Lucie Police Department’s SWAT team executed the warrant around 6 a.m. at a residence in the 900 block of Southwest Jaslo Avenue. During the operation, officers arrested 48-year-old Virgil Jason Vinz without incident
Police said Vinz is charged with five counts of sexual activity with a minor, a second-degree felony under Florida law, and six counts of contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The response drew attention from neighbors, several of whom reported hearing loud booms before seeing officers outside the home.
Port St. Lucie police officers outside a residence in the 900 block of Southwest Jaslo Avenue on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, during the execution of a search warrant. (Photo obtained by CBS12 News from a neighbor)
Authorities said the sounds were not gunshots but Noise Flash Diversionary Devices used during the SWAT team’s entry into the home.
“It’s a diversion to either make entry. When conducting a high-risk operation, these are utilized just for the safety of both the officers and the individual,” police spokesperson Brandon Martinez said.
Authorities have not said what evidence was recovered from the home or what prompted the investigation and say they are limited in what they can discuss while the case remains active.
“As a father of three myself, we take it very serious anytime there is a child involved,” Martinez said.
Martinez said officers are familiar with Vinz from previous encounters but emphasized the current case is separate from any prior incidents.
Court records show Vinz pleaded no contest and was adjudicated guilty in 2023 on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and contributing to the delinquency of a child. Records also show he later violated probation before completing Mental Health Court in October 2024.
Jail records show Vinz remained in the St. Lucie County Jail as of Thursday night, with bond pending.
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