COCOA, Fla. \u2013 An Orlando firefighter is on leave without pay after his second arrest since 2023, this time accused of stalking.<\/p>\n
Lateef Williams, 47, was booked Monday to face charges of unlawfully installing a tracking device or application, stalking, and harassing a witness or victim, records show.<\/p>\n
According to a Cocoa Police Department probable-cause affidavit, the victim called police Friday to unsuccessfully trespass Williams for continually showing up to her workplace, allegedly starting early that morning and ignoring her commands to stay away. She goes on, reporting she then saw Williams\u2019 vehicle continually driving past her workplace before he arrived later that night and allegedly started banging on the door. <\/p>\n
She figured Williams was doing this over a \u201cbucket of vitamins\u201d that each of them claimed was theirs and that she had retrieved from his residence during a \u201clarge disturbance,\u201d police said. The victim said she soon saw Williams crouching behind her vehicle and \u201cmessing with\u201d something before he took off, the affidavit states.<\/p>\n
Police said that the victim awoke the next morning to a note on her driver\u2019s-side window stating, \u201cYou have NOWHERE to go and no place to hide!! Return what you stole! You can be found!\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams allegedly admitted that he placed a CityTag tracker on the exhaust of the victim\u2019s vehicle sometime during October after a car crash \u201cdue to her \u2018harassment\u2019 of him and accusations of infidelity,\u201d well as that it was still active during his conversation with police on Saturday, the affidavit states.<\/p>\n
(The victim) appeared distressed when informed of the tracking device and began to tear at the eyes, advising that it now \u201cmade sense\u201d on how be could locate her continually.<\/p>\n
Probable-cause affidavit for case No. 2025-00055092 (excerpt)<\/p>\n
It was also learned that Williams on Saturday had approached a third person whom he tried to have intervene and convince the victim to drop charges against him, according to the affidavit. <\/p>\n
After the victim noticed that this person was not speaking normally \u2014 allegedly mentioning multiple times that she \u201cneeded\u201d to drop charges \u2014 police said they got frustrated, stated they didn\u2019t want to be in the middle of their problems, and sent the victim screenshots of the following text conversation between her and Williams:<\/p>\n
\u201ctell her you went to the cops saying you don\u2019t want anything to happen. Don\u2019t say I said for you to say anything! I put (it) on so I know when she was coming (so) I\u2019d be gone. Cause before thay (sic) I went up to her office and asked her when she was gonna be there so I wouldn\u2019t be there. Call me. Drop charges affidavit. Call me back. It helps me if she is willing to physically go to the police station and file a DROP CHARGES AFFIDAVIT. Can you respond back please. My life is hanging in the balance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Probable-cause affidavit for case No. 2025-00055092 (excerpt)<\/p>\n