Armed and Dangerous Suspect Wanted in Polk County

Latarius Matthews, Jr., AKA "PJ"Photo byPolk County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page

The Polk County Sheriff's Office has issued a warrant for 19-year-old Latarius Matthews, Jr., also known as "PJ," who resides in the Terranova area of Winter Haven. Matthews is wanted for armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The charges stem from a robbery that occurred on Friday, September 20, at the One Stop gas station on West Pipkin Road in Lakeland. Matthews allegedly arrived in a black Chevy Camaro under the pretense of purchasing an iPhone from the victim. However, he attempted to pay with counterfeit money. After a brief altercation, Matthews pulled a handgun, threatened to shoot the victim, and fled the scene in his Camaro.

Matthews is considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information about his whereabouts, please contact Detective Delgado at 863-298-6200.

For those who wish to remain anonymous and potentially receive a cash reward (no counterfeit involved), contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida through one of these methods:

• Call: 1-888-400-TIPS (8477)
• Dial: **TIPS from your cell phone
• Visit: www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click "Submit A Tip"
• Download: The "P3tips" app on your smartphone or tablet.

Wanted posterPhoto byPolk County Sheriff's Office