A jury in Osceola County found 44-year-old Jeremy Dewitte guilty of failing to register vehicle information, a legal requirement for convicted sex offenders. Following the conviction, the judge imposed a sentence of nearly seven years due to his prior offenses.
Dewitte, with a history of 12 convictions, including multiple instances of impersonating a police officer, is mandated by law to report any new vehicles or modifications to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement within 48 hours, in person, at the local sheriff’s office.
On November 29, 2022, deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office arrived at Dewitte’s residence on Accord Terrace, Kissimmee, to serve an arrest warrant for a probation violation. They noticed a black Dodge Charger in the driveway, which his probation officer confirmed was Dewitte’s. Further investigation revealed that Dewitte had acquired the vehicle on October 10, 2022, but had not registered it with law enforcement as required. While Dewitte’s defense claimed he was unaware of the registration rule, it was noted he initially registered the vehicle as multi-colored, demonstrating knowledge of the process.
State law requires sex offenders to report any vehicle color changes within 48 hours. Dewitte’s failure to comply led to his conviction after a two-day trial. Though the statutory maximum for this violation is five years, the judge imposed a nearly seven-year sentence due to Dewitte’s extensive criminal record.
