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VALLI FINNEY

Title: Correspondent
Contact: 239-839-3114 | Send VALLI an email

Recent Work

Bright futures: Young siblings both accepted into Mensa Published 08/16/2011 at 4:50 p.m.
James LeSage and his sister LeAnne are like most children. They love to play at the park and are typical siblings. But what sets the old Naples pair apart is they are some of the youngest members ever of Mensa, ...
9 men accused of propositioning undercover detective in Bonita - MUGSHOTS Updated 07/15/2011 at 3:28 p.m.
Nine men were arrested Thursday evening in Bonita Springs after approaching an undercover Lee detective and propositioning her for sex.
MUGSHOT: Deaf woman charged with battering her grandmother in Lehigh Published 06/17/2011 at 3:47 p.m.
A 45-year-old Lehigh Acres woman was jailed Thursday, accused of hitting her 84-year-old grandmother after concerned neighbors called deputies.
Lee man, woman accused with child neglect after toddler found home alone Published 06/15/2011 at 3:07 p.m.
A South Fort Myers man and woman who gave Lee deputies differing accounts as to why a 2-year-old girl was left home alone were subsequently arrested Tuesday evening.
Lehigh couple reports armed home invasion, sexual battery by masked men Published 06/15/2011 at 2:12 p.m.
A Lehigh Acres couple told deputies that three masked men and a woman barged into their house, pistol-whipped the man and sexually battered the wife before leaving with electronics and cash late Tuesday.
San Carlos teen stopped in speeding car with headlights off charged with grand theft auto, having gun Published 06/13/2011 at 2:18 p.m.
A Lee County Sheriff's deputy who saw a speeding car without headlights on early Friday captured a San Carlos Park teen who was charged with several crimes, including having a gun illegally.
Car, bike lead Florida wildlife officers to Lee men with skinned gator Published 06/13/2011 at 1 p.m.
A suspicious vehicle and a bicycle chained to a fallen tree lead Florida wildlife officers to the spot where two men were charged with illegally taking an alligator – about a mile away from their South Fort Myers home.
Store employee charged with theft of health products in South Fort Myers Published 05/06/2011 at 2:13 p.m.
A loss prevention officer for a South Fort Myers vitamin store watched Thursday afternoon as an employee took two tubs of protein mix into his car, then confronted him about the thefts.
Lehigh woman accused of stealing Lake Placid woman's identity Published 05/06/2011 at 1:52 p.m.
A woman arrested last week now faces additional numerous felony charges after Lee deputies connected her to the identity theft of a Lake Placid woman.
46 Lee County Sheriff's Office employees to retire as part of cost savings measure Updated 05/06/2011 at 10:20 a.m.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office offered the buyout to certain employees as a way to help the organization reduce costs.
46 Lee County Sheriff's employees take buyouts, totaling nearly $3 million in salary Updated 05/06/2011 at 10:57 a.m.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office has released a document showing that 46 employees who made a total of nearly $3 million a year combined have opted for a buyout with the agency.
Two 13-year-old Naples boys charged with sex crimes in Lee County Published 05/03/2011 at 1:46 p.m.
A 13-year-old Naples boy has been arrested on a warrant after two young brothers told their mother they’d been sexually battered in Lee County. Detectives also learned the boys had been battered in Collier County.
Woman says other driver failed to stop, nearly collided, got pushed in Estero Published 05/03/2011 at 12:55 p.m.
A woman who nearly was involved in a minor crash in an Estero community at a stop sign while traveling to carpool with her twin sister says the driver of the other car yelled at and pushed her.
San Carlos mom, kids sleep while home burglarized upstairs Published 05/02/2011 at 2:33 p.m.
A San Carlos Park woman didn’t realize that while she and her children slept someone had burglarized their house.
Bible on CD, winning lottery ticket stolen from unlocked car in Bonita Published 04/29/2011 at 1:03 p.m.
A thief who stole some money to be used for lottery tickets and a winning $50 ticket may have thought divine intervention would come into play as he took the Bible on compact disk from the unlocked car.
Lee deputies investigating 8 vehicle burglaries in San Carlos Park Published 04/22/2011 at 2:46 p.m.
Eight vehicles were burglarized early Friday in one San Carlos Park neighborhood.
Bonita man dies while scuba diving to survey Estero pond Published 04/21/2011 at 4:15 p.m.
A morning scuba dive to check for erosion in a large pond in the Stoneybrook Golf Club gated community in Estero turned deadly Thursday for a Bonita Springs surveyor.
Family makes tearful plea to find Estero woman missing for 10 days Published 04/19/2011 at 8:02 p.m.
Friends have not seen nor heard from Zarb since April 11, which is highly uncharacteristic of the woman who spoke to her children daily and doted on her dog who was left behind, her family and investigators say.
Lehigh man charged with aggravated child abuse of toddler boy Published 04/08/2011 at 12:16 p.m.
A Lehigh Acres man whose girlfriend admitted to Lee deputies she watched as a toddler was beaten has been arrested.
Bonita Springs teen named as driver in accident that killed 2 Updated 04/07/2011 at 10:35 p.m.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers have released the name of the teenage driver in a double fatality in March in San Carlos Park.
3 arrested in 2 grow house busts in Lehigh Published 04/01/2011 at 3:31 p.m.
Three people were arrested Thursday in two different grow house busts in Lehigh Acres.
Deputies use Taser on Estero woman accused of shoplifting packet of seasoning Published 04/01/2011 at 2:46 p.m.
An Estero woman accused of stealing as packet of seasoning was arrested at home Thursday after a Sweetbay store employee provided deputies with a name from an identification card.
17-year-old accused of pistol-whipping mom, demanding car Updated 03/28/2011 at 12:04 p.m.
A 17-year-old girl who had dreams of attending Ivy League schools is accused of pistol-whipping her mother and making her – at gunpoint – buy a car, Lee county deputies say.
Estero woman charged with calling in fraudulent prescriptions Published 03/18/2011 at 12:33 p.m.
An Estero woman faces 14 felony counts after Lee investigators say she used her employer’s DEA number to call in prescriptions without his knowledge.
MUG SHOT: Video camera helps Lee deputies charge man with theft of woman's panties from clothesline Published 03/18/2011 at 11:25 a.m.
Lee County Sheriff's deputies say they arrested a man who was caught on videotape in a Bokeelia woman’s carport rummaging through her panties. Two pair were stolen.
3 ATVs stolen this week from a Bonita Springs business Published 03/18/2011 at 11:04 a.m.
Lee deputies are on the lookout for three all-terrain vehicles worth about $30,000 reported stolen overnight Wednesday from a Bonita Springs business.
MUG SHOT: Man says woman pulled box cutter on him, rammed his car in South Fort Myers Published 03/16/2011 at 1:47 p.m.
A man who dropped family members off at a South Fort Myers motel says a woman put a box cutter to his throat and demanded money, then crashed into his car.
Lion cub snatched from atop Jeep at Golf Safari in Bonita Published 03/14/2011 at 2:05 p.m.
A big game hunter may not be the suspect in the theft of a lion cub Saturday from a Bonita Springs miniature golf course.
Lehigh Acres woman attacked, robbed in her own driveway Published 03/11/2011 at 1:48 p.m.
A Lehigh Acres woman told deputies she was leaving for work early Thursday when a man grabbed her, tried to remove her pants and stole a fanny pack.
Lee deputy's gun reported stolen in 2009 recovered upon assault arrest Published 03/11/2011 at 1:23 p.m.
A gun recovered from a convicted felon who is accused of pointing it at a patron Thursday night at a Lehigh Acres restaurant was reported stolen from a Lee County Sheriff’s Office correctional deputy’s house in 2009.
Deputies: Bonita Springs man charged with grand theft, DUI after stealing, crashing friend's truck Published 03/08/2011 at 1:01 p.m.
A Bonita Springs man who sports a tattoo that reads "forgive all that offend you" is accused of stealing a friend's truck and crashing it Monday night.
MUG SHOT: South Fort Myers teen charged with punching, pushing grandfather Published 03/04/2011 at 1:22 p.m.
A South Fort Myers teen was arrested Thursday afternoon accused of beating his grandfather while they were at a business.
Stolen Lee County Electric Co-op truck found via GPS damaged, abandoned in Lehigh Updated 03/04/2011 at 2:57 p.m.
An employee of Lee County Electric Cooperative was able to track a stolen 2000 International boom truck that was abandoned in Lehigh Acres.
MUG SHOT: Miami woman charged with prostitution at motel in Bonita Springs Published 03/03/2011 at 2:01 p.m.
A Miami woman was arrested Wednesday afternoon for prostitution after an undercover Lee County deputy met her at a Bonita Springs motel.
Lee school officials don't find humor in boy's T-shirt message Published 03/03/2011 at 1:34 p.m.
Officials at East Lee County High School in Lehigh Acres became concerned Wednesday after a student wore a T-shirt to class and had doodled about having to do more research on the school.
Lee deputy resigns after accusation of sex with suspect, giving confiscated drugs Published 03/01/2011 at 4:13 p.m.
A Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy resigned after being accused of having sex with a female suspect, supplying her with confiscated drugs and improperly possessing three dozen driver’s licenses, according to an Internal Affairs investigation.
FGCU baseball star enters not guilty plea in DUI case Published 03/01/2011 at 10:08 a.m.
The attorney for Florida Gulf Coast University’s third baseman/catcher has entered a written plea of not guilty on his behalf on a drunken driving charge.
Bonita Springs man reports carjacking near Lovers Key State Park Published 02/25/2011 at 1:49 p.m.
A Bonita Springs man told Lee deputies he was the victim of a carjacking late Thursday.
Fort Myers teen accused of busting boyfriend's cell phone, hitting deputy Published 02/25/2011 at 1:44 p.m.
A 19-year-old girl told a Lee deputy she would “do anything for you if you let me go,” was arrested after a fight in a motel parking lot near San Carlos Park.
Hundreds stolen from 'poor box' at Catholic church in South Fort Myers Published 02/25/2011 at 1:22 p.m.
Hundreds of dollars were reported stolen from a “poor box” Thursday at a Catholic church in South Fort Myers.
2 Lee County residents report Internet scams on car sales, including a Ferrari Published 02/25/2011 at 1:17 p.m.
Two Lee County residents have reported being scammed out of thousands of dollars in connection with Internet vehicle sales — one involving a Ferrari Spyder.
MUG SHOT: Lehigh man arrested after sex act breaks girlfriend's neck Published 02/25/2011 at 12:29 p.m.
A Lehigh Acres man was arrested Thursday after his girlfriend told Lee County deputies her neck was fractured while the pair had sex last month.
Bonita man charged with mailing 120 Oxycodone pills to Massachusetts Published 02/24/2011 at 12:18 p.m.
A Bonita Springs man suspected of mailing 120 Oxycodone pills in December to a Massachusetts address was arrested Wednesday.
Explosive device damages home in Fort Myers' Gateway community Published 02/18/2011 at 12:47 p.m.
Lee deputies are investigating who planted an explosive device and detonated it outside a Gateway man’s house.
Third person arrested in area Subway burglary spree - MUGSHOTS Updated 02/18/2011 at 12:15 p.m.
The accused getaway driver in a series of Subway burglaries in Lee County has been arrested.
Mother accused of dining & dashing, falsely reporting daughter left behind was kidnapped Updated 02/17/2011 at 1:06 p.m.
A Bonita Springs woman is accused of skipping out on a restaurant bill, leaving her daughter behind and then calling policed to say the daughter was kidnapped.
Lee County couple arrested in connection with at least 8 Subway burglaries Updated 02/14/2011 at 6:19 p.m.
A North Fort Myers man and woman have been arrested in connection with several Subway burglaries in Lee County, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said.
San Carlos shooting suspect charged with stealing collectibles from his parents Published 01/31/2011 at 1:41 p.m.
A man who left his parents a note saying he was a messed up junkie who didn’t have the guts to tell them has been charged with stealing nearly $10,000 in items including autographed Pete Rose baseball bats, Lee deputies ...
Holy heist! Extremely old Bibles reported stolen from Lee County home Published 01/28/2011 at 12:49 p.m.
A thief made off with two very old Bibles Wednesday morning when they burglarized a North Fort Myers house.
Lehigh middle school girl reports man tried to grab her at bus stop Published 01/27/2011 at 11:56 a.m.
A Lehigh Acres Middle School student has reported that a man tried to take her from the bus stop on Monday.
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