Florida-Keys-SAO

May 20, 2026

Jury Convicts Defendant in Key West Kidnapping and Attempted Sexual Battery Case

KEY WEST, FL — A Monroe County jury found Emmanuel Noslen Teixeira guilty of kidnapping and attempted sexual battery following a jury trial before Circuit Judge Mark Jones.

The jury returned its verdict after approximately two hours of deliberation.

The charges stemmed from a July 11, 2022 incident in which Teixeira falsely represented himself as an Uber driver to gain the trust of a woman who was trying to get home safely after a night out in Key West. Teixeira was not an Uber driver.

According to evidence presented at trial, the victim became separated from her friends after leaving a downtown Key West bar and accepted a ride from Teixeira after he told her he could take her home. Instead of driving her to her destination, Teixeira continued north on U.S. 1 and turned onto Blimp Road in Cudjoe Key, a dark and isolated area.

During the drive, Teixeira ignored the victim’s repeated pleas to stop and let her out. He touched the victim without her consent and attempted to force further sexual contact. The victim fought back and struck Teixeira in the face with her elbow.

The victim was able to unbuckle her seatbelt and jump from the vehicle when it slowed. She hid in the mangroves and briefly stood in the water to avoid detection. When she returned to U.S. 1, Teixeira pulled up alongside her and repeatedly tried to persuade her to get back into his vehicle. The victim refused, and after several minutes Teixeira drove away. She then walked south on U.S. 1 until she reached the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office substation in Cudjoe Key, where deputies assisted her and began the investigation.

The investigation gained significant momentum following a second incident on August 18, 2022, involving another woman in Key West. In that case, Teixeira is charged with sexual battery, false imprisonment, battery, and indecent exposure. Investigators allege that the circumstances of that encounter bore striking similarities to the July 11 incident and helped law enforcement identify Teixeira as the suspect. That case remains pending, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Teixeira later fled the state and was located in New Mexico. He was extradited back to Monroe County to face trial at a cost of $7,071.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 1, 2026, before Circuit Judge Mark Jones.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield praised the work of the prosecution team.

“I commend the valiant efforts of our prosecutors in taking this dangerous predator off the street,” Mansfield said. “Their steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety of our community is praiseworthy.”

Assistant State Attorney Madeline Thompson added, “I am proud of the victims in this matter for their courage in coming forward and facing their attacker in court. Due to their testimony, we were able to present a strong case in which the jury was able to correctly reach a guilty verdict. I am glad I was able to play a part in bringing this case to justice and making our community safer.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Madeline Thompson and Michael Pope.

MONROE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
The Office of the State Attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, led by State Attorney Dennis W. Ward, is committed to upholding the law through ethical prosecution, collaboration with investigative partners, and the pursuit of justice for the citizens of Monroe County.

May 14, 2026

Jury Finds Anthony Rainford Guilty of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death

KEY WEST, FL — Today, a Monroe County jury has found Anthony Rainford 58, guilty of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death, in violation of Florida Statutes, following a jury trial before Mark Jones.

After deliberating for approximately an hour, the jury returned a guilty verdict as charged.

The conviction stems from a fatal crash that occurred during the early morning hours of June 7, 2024, on College Road in Key West. Evidence presented at trial established that Heather Michelle Marcotte, operating a orange scooter, crossed into the opposite lane of travel and collided head-on with Rainford’s Jeep. Although the evidence showed that Marcotte caused the collision, Florida law required Rainford to stop immediately, remain at the scene, render aid, and notify law enforcement.

Instead, Rainford exited his vehicle, observed Marcotte lying critically injured in the roadway, and then returned to his Jeep; He drove around Marcotte’s body and left the scene without rendering aid, calling 911, or otherwise seeking help.

A passing bicyclist discovered Marcotte moments later, immediately called 911, and went to her aid. Emergency responders arrived within minutes and began life-saving measures, but Marcotte died from her injuries. Investigators located Rainford approximately two hours later. During that entire time, he never contacted emergency services and never returned to the crash scene. Traffic Homicide Investigators with the Key West Police Department subsequently identified Rainford and his damaged vehicle.

Rainford is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2026, at 2:00pm before Circuit Judge Mark Jones. The offense is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in state prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Michael Pope and Michael Tetelman, along with Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield. The investigation was conducted by the Key West Police Department.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield said the verdict sends a clear and uncompromising message that abandoning a dying person on the roadway is both criminal and inexcusable.

“Although the evidence showed that the scooter operator caused the collision, Anthony Rainford had both a legal and moral obligation to stop, call 911, and do everything possible to help,” Mansfield said. “Instead, he looked at a critically injured woman lying in the roadway, got back into his Jeep, drove around her body, and left her there to die. For the next two hours, he made no effort to contact emergency services or return to the scene. A passing bicyclist showed more humanity in a matter of seconds than the defendant did that entire morning. This verdict holds him accountable for a callous and unconscionable decision.”

MONROE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
The Office of the State Attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, led by State Attorney Dennis W. Ward, is committed to upholding the law through ethical prosecution, collaboration with investigative partners, and the pursuit of justice for the citizens of Monroe County.