TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Former Florida Department of Health data scientist Rebekah Jones announced Saturday that she will be turning herself in to police Sunday night.
She said she’s doing so in response to a recent warrant issued for her arrest.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed Saturday that there is an active arrest warrant for Jones.
“FDLE agents have been working with her attorney to have her turn herself in. Our case remains active,” said Gretl Plessinger, a spokesperson for FDLE, in a statement sent to ABC 27. “Once she turns herself in, we’ll be able to provide additional information.
Jones, in a lengthy Twitter thread, said that she will be turning herself in "to protect my family from continued police violence, and to show that I'm ready to fight whatever they throw at me."
To protect my family from continued police violence, and to show that I'm ready to fight whatever they throw at me, I'm turning myself into police in Florida Sunday night. The Governor will not win his war on science and free speech. He will not silence those who speak out.
— Rebekah Jones (@GeoRebekah) January 16, 2021
Jones made national headlines in May when she went public with accusations that FDOH fired her when she said, she was asked but refused to manipulate COVID case numbers around the same time Governor DeSantis announced plans to reopen businesses in the state.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement began investigating Jones after a mass text was sent to other DOH employees asking them to "speak up" about COVID-19 numbers in the state.
Jones claims that the current warrant didn't stem from evidence FDLE sought during the search of her home in early December.
FDLE did not comment on the specifics regarding the arrest warrant for Jones.
