FDLE investigates Alachua and Baker County Sheriff’s Offices

State investigators are investigating the Alachua And Baker Sheriff’s Officebut the reasons are unknown.

Two executive orders issued by the Governor. Ron DeSantis revealed the ongoing investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), but shed little light on its purpose.

The orders transfer the investigations of Brian KramerDistrict Attorney for the 8th Judicial District, which includes Alachua and Baker counties, to other prosecutors after Kramer declared a conflict of interest in the investigation because he was assisting the Alachua Sheriff. Emery Gainey and Baker Sheriff Scotty Rhoden.

In last week’s orders, DeSantis ordered the investigation of Alachua John DurrettAttorney for the Third Judicial District, which covers seven rural counties in the Panhandle. The governor referred the Baker investigation to Melissa NelsonProsecutor for the Fourth Judicial District, which includes Clay, Duval and Nassau Counties.

Requests for comment from FDLE and DeSantis’ office were not immediately returned Monday morning.

Gainey was appointed sheriff of Alachua County by DeSantis on October 1, replacing Clovis Watsonwho resigned for health reasons. Watson is a Democrat who previously served in the House of Representatives but was reprimanded in May 2023 by a judge who found he had violated the rights of three lawmakers who were under investigation. Gainey is a Republican who announced his intention to run last year shortly after taking office to keep his new job.

Rhoden was first elected Baker Sheriff in 2016. In a letter to his staff posted on FacebookHe criticized the investigation but encouraged lawmakers to cooperate with the FDLE during it.

“I would like to officially state that this is a POLITICAL STRATEGY to not only divide our BCSO family, but also to bring negative attention to our county,” Rhoden wrote. “We all know that we are a family in Baker County and we always work together to support one another and ensure that all of our county’s activities put the people of our community first.”

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