'Cougar' at center of Brevard deputy shooting set to plea

The prostitute known as "Cougar" at the center of a deputy-involved shooting is expected at the Titusville courthouse Monday morning to plead guilty to all charges.

Police said Mary DeRossett, who uses the alias "Cougar," admitted that she was running a prostitution business from her Port St. John home. It was during her Aug. 20 arrest that a Brevard County Sheriff's agent was shot and left fighting for his life.

Agent Casey Smith was released from an Orlando hospital last week after a month-long stay as he recuperated from his injuries. Smith was one of three agents who arrived at DeRossett's home to arrest her.

According to records, she called out to her uncle for help and that's when John DeRossett began firing at the agents. He struck Smith in the lower abdomen before Smith returned fire, wounding the 65-year-old man, who remains in the Brevard County Jail facing three charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement agent.

According to the Brevard County Clerk of Courts website, Mary DeRossett is attempting a "global plea," which should include the misdemeanor prostitution charges in this case as well as previous unresolved prostitution and drug offenses. She is scheduled to go before Judge Kenneth Friedland at 9 a.m. and is represented by the Public Defender's Office. She has been held at the Seminole County Jail for security reasons.

The case has taken on a sensational flair with the knowledge that DeRossett kept a ledger or list containing all of her clients including two sheriff's deputies, who have since resigned from the department. One Brevard deputy even exchanged texts with the suspect up to 15 minutes prior to the shooting.

A judge also said Mary DeRossett must provide a blood sample to the sheriff's office after another agent was exposed to her blood. One of the agents at the scene suffered a cut on his hand during the incident and was exposed, according to a motion filed in court. Due to her alleged profession, there are concerns that she may have a sexually transmitted disease.

Contact Torres at 321-242-3684 or at jtorres@floridatoday.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FTjohntorres