Florida police sergeant among 8 charged in football recruiting scheme

A former Florida police force’s assistant chief and an active sergeant were among eight people charged in a recruiting scheme involving high school football players.

Port St. Lucie Police Chief John Buldoc requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate Sgt. Robert Vega and his brother, former Port St. Lucie Police Assistant Chief William Vega Jr., in October 2022.

Chief Buldoc believed both men were involved in a scheme to recruit students from outside of the county to play on the Martin County High School football team, according to a press release from the FDLE. Port St. Lucie is in St. Lucie County, one county north of Martin County on Florida’s Treasure Coast.

Sgt. Vega and his brother were volunteer coaches on the high school football team.

An anonymous complaint stated the suspects used addresses of current and former Port. St. Lucie police officers and other homeowners in Martin County to falsely claim the students lived in the school district.

The investigation found that six parents: Nixalys Vega, 46; Jose Soto, 43; Jeron Atwater, 41; Lisa Stone, 47; Guilnar Saintelus, 40; and Nancy Davino, 48, filed fraudulent official documents with the Martin County School District, using forged and fraudulent lease agreements as proof of residency.

They also changed their driver’s licenses to reflect these fraudulent addresses, according to the press release.

On Wednesday, Robert Vega, Nixalys Vega, Jeron Atwater, Lisa Stone and Guilnar Saintelus were all booked into Martin County Jail.

Arrest warrants were filed for former Assistant Chief Wiliam Vega Jr., Joso Soto, and Nancy Davino.

FDLE said the investigation was still ongoing.