Suncoast deputy charged with soliciting a minor, sheriff says

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WWSB) - A Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputy has been arrested and charged with inappropriate communications with a minor, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday.

“Deputy James Ford was taken into custody by our own investigative unit and is facing charges of Solicitation of a Minor, Sending Harmful Material to a Minor, and Harmful Communication to a Minor,” a statement from Sheriff Bill Prummell said.

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Ford has been placed on administrative leave without pay and is currently being held in the Charlotte County Jail, the statement said.

“Any time a deputy is arrested, it damages the trust that we have worked so hard to build with our community. With something as serious as an arrest, and especially of this nature, I wanted to make sure you heard this news directly from me,” Prummell said.

It remains an active investigation, he said.