Sex offender arrested in Osceola County standoff, deputies say

Standoff began with domestic violence call

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A standoff at a subdivision in Kissimmee that began with a domestic violence call ended with the arrest of a registered sex offender, according to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. 

The standoff began around 2:23 a.m. Tuesday at a home on Eagle Crossing Drive when a woman called 911 to report that her boyfriend, Raynard Wells, 45, was threatening her life, deputies said. 

"He brandished a firearm in some way or another, according to her statement," Osceola County Sheriff's Office Capt. Jacob Ruiz said.

Wells is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2000 for lewd and lascivious conduct on a child under 16.  Deputies said Wells had an outstanding warrant on a failing to register as a sex offender charge.

When authorities arrived at the home in the Eagle Lake subdivision, Wells' girlfriend came outside, but Wells refused to leave the home, according to deputies.

Video provided to News 6 by a neighbor showed a tank and other law enforcement vehicles parked outside a home, with one deputy using a speaker system to announce that they had a warrant.

The standoff ended nine hours later, when SWAT entered the home and took Wells into custody, deputies said. He was arrested on his outstanding warrant. No one was injured during the incident.

"Sometimes in these types of incidents we want to make sure no one gets hurt, especially the subject. Everybody's safety is paramount," Ruiz said. "The community, they were awesome. We thank the Eagle Lake community for standing by and putting up (with this)."

Neighbors said the scene early Tuesday morning was unlike anything they've ever seen in the normally quiet community.

Angel Bermudez said he watched the drama unfold from the safety of his home.

"I never seen so many cops. Then they got a big green armored truck. They had, like, (assault rifles)," Bermudez said.

He said he's glad the situation ended peacefully but he said it's concerning that a sex offender was so close to his home, especially since he has two young children.

"It's an eye-opener. Now it's time to get online and see who around me is a sex offender. I never thought about doing that before," Bermudez said.

Victims of domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, available 24 hours a day, at 1-800-799-7233 or the Harbor House 24-hour confidential crisis hotline at 407-886-2856.


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