VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A retired deputy living in DeLand is accused of aggravated stalking after investigators say he threatened to conduct acts of violence that would compare to the Parkland shooting and displayed increasingly bizarre behavior toward his family, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Derick Velez, 58, was arrested Thursday on a warrant for aggravated stalking and remains in the Volusia County Jail without bond. Velez is retired from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office but now lives in the DeLand area, according to a news release.
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The sheriff’s office said Velez also operates a children’s clown business where he occasionally performs as “Po Po the Clown.”
According to the arrest report, Velez was taken into protective custody on July 14 under Florida’s Baker Act. After his release, he continued to display bizarre behavior and caused his family to live in fear, according to the arrest report.
On July 18, Velez got into an argument with his wife after he said he was going to take his RV and live out in the woods “to think.” After the argument, he said he “blacked out during the entire argument and could not remember a thing,” according to the report.
Investigators said on July 27, Velez told his 9-year-old daughter he was taking her and her mother to “the most magical place on the planet.” She responded by asking if they were going to Disney.
Velez replied, " No baby, daddy is taking you and mommy to heaven next month.”
After being taken into protective custody again on July 31, deputies said Velez began calling his wife and threatening to hurt her, making multiple statements including “I’m going to turn your life upside down” and “you will wish you had never met me.” She told deputies he called 10 times from the Halifax Behavior center after she told him to stop calling her.
Investigators learned that these calls “followed weeks of threatening behavior where Derick made statements that he was going to commit mass murders, he believed he is a prophet of God and has been commanded to form an army and they were going to rise up.”
Velez made posts on social media referring to the Columbine and Parkland shootings writing that those acts of violence were “nothing” compared to his plans.
Before his arrest Thursday, officials with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office contacted Volusia County authorities to warn them about Velez’s behavior. He had made threats against former colleagues in Monroe County, according to the report.
Velez was previously ordered by a judge to surrender his firearms. The risk protection order remains in effect, according to the sheriff’s office.