St. Lucie County deputies Veronica O’Brien and Caitlyn Tighe quit last week after investigators concluded they improperly associated with criminals, committed ethics violations and displayed unbecoming conduct, the newspaper reported.
“As a result of this investigation, a comprehensive review of all policies and procedures at the St. Lucie County Jail is taking place to ensure that no other violations exist,” Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a statement.
According to the review, in November, a detective in Gwinnett County, Georgia, told a St .Lucie County deputy he suspected an inmate, Dustin Shepard, was communicating with a St. Lucie deputy, Treasure Coast Newspapers reported. Investigators found 242 phone calls spanning 53 hours between Shepard and O'Brien, with some of the topics including marriage and sex, the newspaper reported.
Internal affairs investigators said they found evidence Tighe may have been having a relationship with inmate Sean Zambrano at the St. Lucie County Jail, according to Treasure Coast Newspapers..
Investigators discovered Tighe bought a “burner” phone and talked to Zambrano 226 times over 34 days for more than 68 hours, the newspaper reported. According to records, many of the calls involved phone sex.
The report also said the two deputies violated policies of association with "known criminals" and displayed unbecoming conduct, Treasure Coast Newspapers reported.
About the Author