SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A Seminole County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant was fired Thursday on allegations that he sent unsolicited and sexually explicit messages to a subordinate late last year, according to documents obtained by News 6.
An administrative investigation report and an official notice sent by Sheriff Dennis Lemma to Lt. Charles Albrecht, both of which are significantly redacted, define the lieutenant’s actions as “Conduct Unbecoming,” citing a general order of the sheriff’s office that dictates standards of conduct.
“Employees shall conduct themselves at all times, both on and off duty, in such a manner as to reflect favorable on the Sheriff’s Office,” the order states.
Sheriff’s officials said Albrecht sent the messages to a detention deputy on Dec. 16, 2022. An administrative investigation was authorized May 8 of this year, days after a chief was made aware of the allegations and reportedly had Albrecht confirm certain details to them in person.
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According to Lemma, Albrecht had been notified June 19 that the sheriff’s office sought his termination and he elected to meet with the sheriff June 21 as a result.
Albrecht was apologetic and showed remorse, as is shown and suggested multiple times in both the notice and investigation report, even asking for and purportedly receiving forgiveness from the deputy themselves.
In the notice, dated June 21, Lemma informs Albrecht that though his relationship with the deputy who received the explicit messages was not intimate in nature and included no form of actual sexual contact between the two, it “neither explains nor excuses (the) conduct.”
“While I appreciate your candor during the course of this investigation and your recognition of the fact that you did not act appropriately during this incident, the fact of the matter is that your behavior in all respects was not in keeping with the organizational values and philosophy of the Sheriff’s Office and will not be tolerated,” Lemma said in the notice.
During investigative interviews, Albrecht said he had been employed with the sheriff’s office for 23 years. His termination is effective as of Thursday, Lemma said.
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