HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — A man accused in a 1989 child sexual battery case in Hernando County was arrested last month after evading authorities for more than three decades.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said 68-year-old Joseph Vincent Michaels was wanted on two counts of capital sexual battery and one count of sexual activity with a child. Investigators said the victim was 15 years old at the time of the report, with alleged offenses occurring while she was between 10 and 12 years old.
Before the warrant could be served, Michaels fled Florida and lived under several aliases, including "Pete Puma," "Alan Schmidt," and "Peter Kiesel."
Michaels was taken into custody in March 2026. He is being held at the Hernando Detention Center on a $1.6 million bond.
Challenges over Florida's school bus and school speed zone camera face setbacks as legal battles continue
Cameras catching drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses or speed through school zones are generating millions of citations across Florida — and a growing wave of legal challenges.
