Criminal Justice Reporter

Shira Moolten

Shira Moolten covers courts and the criminal justice system at the South Florida Sun Sentinel, where she has worked since 2022. She received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 2021 and a master's degree from Columbia Journalism School in 2022. At the Sun Sentinel, she has reported on natural disasters, police misconduct, high-profile murder cases and systemic problems in Florida's handling of domestic violence. Before joining the Sun Sentinel, she freelanced for two local newspapers in Northern California, The Union and the Sierra Sun. Her investigative series on lead emissions at South Florida's general aviation airports led the city of Fort Lauderdale to launch an environmental study and was a finalist in the Florida Society of News Editors and the Society of Professional Journalists' Sunshine State Awards. You can reach her at 754-971-0636.

Red and blue police lights.

17-year-old killed in New Year’s Eve shooting near Fort Lauderdale beach has been identified

January 2, 2026 at 12:15 p.m.

A teenager was shot and killed near Fort Lauderdale's beach late on New Year's Eve, police said.

Juan Alcocer, relative of the teens who died in a car crash Monday night on Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. (Joe Cavaretta/Sun Sentinel)

3 teens killed in Pompano Beach crash were inseparable, family members say

December 30, 2025 at 4:54 p.m.

A 15-year-old, 16-year-old and 18-year-old died in a car crash at a bus stop in Pompano Beach on Monday night.

Immigration agents and Florida Highway Patrol stopped Justin Cuellar and his father on a road in Davie on Dec. 9, 2025. Cuellar said a trooper told him his license plate was obscured. (Jennifer Whyte Sowinski/Courtesy)

Florida’s new license plate law leads to immigration detention and a wrongful arrest in Broward

December 18, 2025 at 7:42 a.m.

A new Florida law makes it a criminal misdemeanor to have anything obscuring one's license plate. Some say the law could become another tool to stop and detain immigrants.

State Rep. Robin Bartleman holds a photo of Mary Gingles and David Posner during a Monday news conference at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines. She is sponsoring a bill to change how police enforce gun surrender in domestic violence cases. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Proposed bill would apply ‘red-flag’ laws to domestic violence after Tamarac triple murder

December 15, 2025 at 5:28 p.m.

Florida state Rep. Robin Bartleman has filed a bill to enforce orders requiring domestic violence perpetrators to surrender their guns, a measure initiated in part by a Tamarac triple murder.

Longtime South Florida radio personality John Kross Jr., known by his nickname "Footy," has died, his organization said Saturday. (Courtesy/Here's Help)

Former longtime South Florida radio personality John ‘Footy’ Kross Jr. dies

December 13, 2025 at 5:52 p.m.

Longtime South Florida radio personality John Kross Jr., known by his nickname "Footy," has died, his organization said Saturday.

More than 100 residents, advocates and faith leaders gathered by the busy road outside of the Florida Highway Patrol station in Lantana on Saturday morning to pray for those who had been taken during a series of immigration sweeps across Palm Beach County that continued this week. (Shira Moolten/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Over 100 pray outside Florida Highway Patrol station following immigration crackdown

December 13, 2025 at 10:34 p.m.

More than 100 residents, advocates and faith leaders gathered outside of Florida Highway Patrol station to pray for those taken during immigration sweeps across Palm Beach County.

The former manager at a Boca Raton company that helps people settle their debts is charged with defrauding more than 20 clients out of nearly $200,000, the police department said. (WPEC-Ch. 12/Courtesy)

Boca man charged in fraud, accused of taking $200,000 from seniors using debt reduction service

December 11, 2025 at 1:57 p.m.

The former manager at a Boca Raton company that helps people settle their debts is charged with defrauding more than 20 clients out of nearly $200,000, the police department said.

Law enforcement personnel search for an individual during an ICE operation on Griffin Road in Davie on Wednesday. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

ICE agents, FHP troopers detain drivers throughout Davie

December 10, 2025 at 4:28 p.m.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers and ICE agents were seen stopping and detaining drivers in the Davie area this week, alarming local residents who posted warnings on neighborhood apps and social...

One of the dogs found during the raid on Alex Benefield's Deerfield Beach home. Benefield, who was considered one of South Florida's biggest dogfighters, was sentenced Tuesday to two years of probation.(FBI/Courtesy)

Broward dogfighter sentenced to two years probation for running training, fighting ring

December 9, 2025 at 4:52 p.m.

A Deerfield Beach man who was considered one of South Florida's biggest dogfighters was sentenced Tuesday to two years of probation.

A janitor’s discovery of rifled-through mail in a bathroom trash can at the West Palm Beach distribution center ended in the arrest of a postal service employee in a $640,000 credit card theft operation, according to federal agents. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images file)

South Florida Postal Service employees participated in $600,000 credit card theft operation, feds say

December 9, 2025 at 7:14 p.m.

A janitor’s discovery of opened mail in a bathroom trash can at the West Palm Beach distribution center ended in the arrest of a postal service employee in a $640,000...