Cocoa police booked 47-year-old La Teef Williams on stalking, unlawful tracking and witness-tampering counts; Orlando Fire placed him on leave.
COCOA, Fla. — Cocoa detectives arrested an Orlando Fire Department firefighter this week after recovering a GPS tracking device installed on his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle, a discovery that led to stalking and witness-tampering charges, authorities said. The firefighter, identified as La Teef Williams, 47, was booked in Brevard County after an interview in which investigators say he acknowledged placing the tracker.
Police described a straightforward timeline: the couple separated in mid-December, the woman reported concerns about being monitored, and officers examined her car and recovered a device hidden inside. The case matters because covert electronic monitoring has become a key factor in domestic stalking complaints, and the law now treats nonconsensual tracking as a stand-alone crime. Orlando Fire officials said Williams has been removed from active duty pending outcomes in court and within the department’s internal affairs process. Detectives are preparing evidence submissions to prosecutors, who will decide on formal charges and court dates in the coming days.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officers say Williams told them he placed the tracker in the fall and described where it would be found in the woman’s rental car. An officer retrieved the device from that location. The charges listed on the booking report include installing or using a tracking device without consent, domestic stalking, and domestic tampering with or harassing a victim or witness. Police said the woman cooperated with investigators and that there were no reported physical injuries tied to the current allegations. “Our priority is the safety of the reporting party,” a Cocoa police representative said, adding that detectives would evaluate whether a protective order is appropriate under standard procedure.
Court and news records show this is Williams’ second arrest in less than three years. In 2023, he was taken into custody in an unrelated incident that nonetheless drew internal review by his employer. The Orlando Fire Department said it followed civil service rules then and will do so again now, which typically include notice to the employee, an administrative interview and a separate determination from the criminal case. Florida’s anti-stalking provisions were strengthened to address GPS and app-based tracking, giving police clearer authority to seize devices and permitting prosecutors to pursue charges that do not require physical contact. Officials emphasized that the current case is limited to the alleged use of a tracker and the reported efforts to influence or harass a witness.
Internally, the department placed Williams on leave while compliance staff collect documents from Cocoa police and review any city technology policies that may apply, such as prohibitions on using personal or work equipment to monitor others. If prosecutors file charges, the case will proceed to arraignment in Brevard County and a judge will set or review bond terms. Detectives may seek phone records, application logs and purchase histories to determine how the device was activated and whether any location data were shared or saved. Any further allegations, such as repeated contact or messages, would be added to supplemental reports.
Residents in the neighborhood where the woman lives said they noticed plainclothes officers and an extra marked patrol earlier in the week but did not know why until the arrest was announced. Outside Orlando Fire’s station, a few firefighters declined to comment on specifics but said leave pending investigation is routine. “You wait for the process to play out,” said firefighter-paramedic Laura Kim, who spoke generally about policy and not about Williams’ case.
As of Friday, Williams remained off duty and the case awaited a prosecutor’s filing decision in Brevard County. Police said any additional evidence, including data extracted from the device, will be included before that decision. A first court appearance and internal updates from Orlando Fire are expected next.
Author note: Last updated December 19, 2025.