JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – First Coast Crime Stoppers said Thursday that the 2025-26 fiscal year was one of the most successful in the organization’s history, with anonymous tips from the public leading to hundreds of arrests, the clearance of hundreds of cases and nearly $2 million in criminal assets removed from Northeast Florida communities.
The group said it received 3,035 anonymous tips between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026 — the most since 2021 — and approved $124,900 in cash rewards for tipsters, the most since 2012.
Information from anonymous tips led to 213 arrests, the most since 2014, and the clearing of 615 criminal cases, the highest total since 2009. The organization credited tips with helping solve three homicides, bringing its lifetime total to 140 homicides solved.
On April 30, 2026, the group announced it received an anonymous tip that led to the arrest of a former youth pastor and local business owner, Joshua Trent, who is accused of sexually abusing an underage girl for years.
In April 2025, a tip led to the arrest of two men in the shooting death of 7-year-old Breon Allen.
For years, fear of being labeled a “snitch” kept many people from picking up the phone. Community leaders say that mindset is changing.
“We’re definitely seeing that change because people want a safe environment,” Mad Dads spokesman A.J. Jordan said. “We want our kids to be able to enjoy the city. We want senior saints to be able to be here to enjoy this city.”
Jordan says his group often hears the same question from people with information: How can they get it to authorities without being identified?
“They say they got information. How can we get it to the proper authority without being revealed? And we just share the information … because we see the numbers.”
First Coast Crime Stoppers reported $1.92 million in property, cash and narcotics seized during the fiscal year — the highest total since 2011.
Compared with the prior fiscal year, FCCS said it recorded growth across key measures: anonymous tips were up 7%, value of rewards approved rose 34%, arrests increased 29%, narcotics seized jumped 266%, criminal cases cleared grew 48% and the number of individual rewards approved rose 18%.
“Our community continues to prove that anonymous reporting saves lives and makes neighborhoods safer,” Chase Robinson, executive director of First Coast Crime Stoppers, said in the group’s community impact report. “These historic results are a direct reflection of citizens choosing to speak up without fear. Every anonymous tip has the potential to stop violence, recover stolen property, remove dangerous drugs from our streets, and deliver justice to victims.”
Robinson added that behind each number is a person or family affected by crime.
“Behind every arrest is a victim seeking justice,” he said. “Behind every case cleared is a family receiving answers. Behind every anonymous tip is a community member who chose courage over silence.”
Since its founding in 2002, FCCS said it has received 67,244 anonymous tips, approved more than $2.08 million in cash rewards, helped generate about 4,801 arrests and contributed to the clearance of 9,810 cases.
The organization said more than $21.4 million in narcotics, property and cash has been seized as a result of tip-driven investigations.
Tips can be submitted through the FCCS call center, its website and mobile app.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said JSO is also receiving a surge in tips to its cold case line.
“We get tips all the time…that just shows for minor crimes that people are willing to get involved, and it’s the same thing for violent crimes. People want to get involved. They want to live peacefully,” Waters said.