The criminal justice system keeps failing law-abiding Americans.
One Sheriff finally had enough of watching the revolving door spin.
And this Florida Sheriff just dropped two words that have soft-on-crime judges scrambling for cover.
Brevard County Sheriff exposes catch-and-release nightmare
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey didn’t mince words when he blasted Florida’s broken criminal justice system in a viral video that got the attention of frustrated Americans nationwide.
The 40-year law enforcement veteran called out what he labeled the “hug-a-thug” system after his deputies arrested Mitchell George for the 100th time.¹
That’s not a typo – the 41-year-old repeat offender has racked up over 100 charges including 58 felonies and 47 misdemeanors with more than 40 convictions.²
“This guy should be under the jail as he’s been charged with over 100 crimes in his brief 41 years on earth,” Sheriff Ivey stated in the Facebook video.³
Deputies had to chase George through the woods with a helicopter after he fled from yet another traffic stop for driving with a revoked license while on community control from his previous arrest just a year ago.⁴
https://twitter.com/UndercoverIndy/status/1981689104996905102
George represents everything wrong with soft-on-crime policies that keep putting dangerous criminals back on the streets to victimize communities again and again.
“How many more people have to be victims of this guy?” Sheriff Ivey asked.⁵
The answer should be zero, but judges keep giving these repeat offenders ridiculously lenient sentences and weak bonds that make a mockery of public safety.
Florida actually has some of the toughest repeat offender laws on the books, yet criminals like George keep gaming the system.
The state’s Prison Releasee Reoffender statute was enacted unanimously by the Florida Legislature in 1997 specifically to address habitual criminals – but prosecutors have to choose whether to pursue enhanced sentencing.⁶
That means career criminals often slip through the cracks when prosecutors or judges decide leniency matters more than protecting citizens from violent predators.
Proof that soft-on-crime policies fail
About 25% of Florida prisoners return to prison within three years of release, and that jumps to 35% within five years – and those figures only count people sent back to state prison, not county jail.⁷
The real recidivism rate is much higher when you factor in all the repeat offenders who get slapped on the wrist with probation or community control.
Nationally, 83% of prisoners released from 30 state prisons were arrested for a new crime at least once during nine years following their release.⁸
Those 400,000 released prisoners were rearrested for almost 2 million crimes within nine years – an average of five arrests per released prisoner.⁹
And here’s the kicker: about 25% of released prisoners committed half of those crimes.¹⁰
That means a small percentage of hardcore repeat offenders are responsible for a massive amount of crime plaguing American communities.
Mitchell George fits that profile perfectly – a career criminal who’s been arrested so many times deputies have lost count, yet judges keep letting him walk.
“The most frightening part? It’s not just him, and this is most often the rule when it comes to dealing with criminals, not the exception,” Sheriff Ivey explained.¹¹
Florida passed enhanced penalties for violent repeat offenders in 2024, but the legislation means nothing if prosecutors don’t pursue tougher sentences and judges don’t hand them down.¹²
The state’s Three Strikes Law and Habitual Felony Offender designation can impose life sentences for repeat violent criminals, but only when the system actually uses these tools.¹³
Sheriff Ivey pointed out that George was on community control when deputies arrested him again – meaning he’d already proven he couldn’t follow the law under supervision.
Yet the criminal justice system gave him yet another chance to terrorize the community.
Sheriff demands judges stop coddling career criminals
Sheriff Ivey didn’t hold back when calling out the soft-on-crime approach that’s made his deputies’ jobs exponentially more dangerous.
“Law enforcement officers who constantly put their lives on the line arresting violent offenders who are then put right back out on our streets with weak bonds or ridiculous sentences,” Sheriff Ivey stated.¹⁴
The Brevard County Sheriff made clear his department will never apologize for locking up dangerous criminals where they belong.
“We ain’t never, and I do mean never, gonna apologize for locking bad people up right where they belong,” Sheriff Ivey declared.¹⁵
His message to the criminal justice system was simple – do your job and keep repeat offenders like Mitchell George behind bars.
“Stop giving them ridiculous bonds, hand slaps, and whatever else we do that lets him get out and victimize again,” Sheriff Ivey demanded.¹⁶
The Sheriff’s viral video resonated with Americans sick of watching career criminals get endless second chances while victims suffer.
Florida taxpayers spend over $313 million per year just imprisoning individuals who violate terms of release without even committing new crimes – and that’s money that could go toward actually protecting communities if judges stopped releasing repeat offenders in the first place.¹⁷
Sheriff Ivey represents the frustration of law enforcement officers across America who risk their lives arresting the same criminals over and over while watching soft-on-crime judges immediately release them.
“Enough is enough, I’ve had it,” Sheriff Ivey said.¹⁸
The “hug-a-thug” system Sheriff Ivey called out perfectly captures how Democrats and liberal judges prioritize criminals’ feelings over public safety and victims’ rights.
Americans deserve a criminal justice system that actually keeps violent repeat offenders locked up instead of giving them 100 chances to destroy more lives.
¹ “Florida Sheriff Wayne Ivey slams justice system after repeat offender arrested: ‘Enough is enough,'” FOX 35 Orlando, October 23, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ “WATCH: Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey Blasts ‘Hug-a-Thug’ System After Deputies Arrest Repeat Felon With 100 Arrests,” Space Coast Daily, October 23, 2025.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ “New study published regarding Florida’s Prisoner Release Reoffender law,” Florida Sheriffs Association Research Institute, 2020.
⁷ – ¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ “WATCH: Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey Blasts ‘Hug-a-Thug’ System After Deputies Arrest Repeat Felon With 100 Arrests,” Space Coast Daily, October 23, 2025.
¹² “What Has Changed In Florida’s Criminal Law in 2024?” K.J. Law P.A., October 1, 2024.
¹³ “Repeat Offenders in Florida Face Harsh Mandatory Minimum Sentences,” Izquierdo Law Firm, P.A., accessed October 24, 2025.
¹⁴ “WATCH: Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey Blasts ‘Hug-a-Thug’ System After Deputies Arrest Repeat Felon With 100 Arrests,” Space Coast Daily, October 23, 2025.
¹⁵ Ibid.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ “New study published regarding Florida’s Prisoner Release Reoffender law,” Florida Sheriffs Association Research Institute, 2020.
¹⁸ “Florida Sheriff Wayne Ivey slams justice system after repeat offender arrested: ‘Enough is enough,'” FOX 35 Orlando, October 23, 2025.
