FDLE investigates Alachua and Baker County Sheriff's Offices

State investigators are investigating Alachua And Sheriff Baker Officesbut the reasons are unknown.

Two decrees issued by the governor. Ron DeSantis revealed ongoing investigations by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), but shed little light on their purpose.

The orders reassigned the investigations of Brian Kramer, State's Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, which covers Alachua and Baker counties, to other state's attorneys. This was prompted by Kramer's declaration of a conflict of interest regarding the investigations due to his support of the Alachua sheriff. Emery Gainey and Baker Sheriff Scotty Rhoden.

In last week's orders, DeSantis assigned the Alachua investigation to John Durrett, State Attorney for the Third Judicial Circuit, which covers seven rural Panhandle counties. The governor assigned the Baker investigation to Melissa NelsonState's Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which covers Clay, Duval and Nassau counties.

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

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

Rhoden was first elected Baker Sheriff in 2016. In a letter to his employees posted on Facebookhe criticized the investigation but encouraged deputies to work with the FDLE while it unfolds.

“Let me go on record as saying that this is a POLITICAL STRATEGY intended to not only divide our BCSO family, but also to bring negative attention to our county,” Rhoden wrote. “We all know that in Baker County we are one family and we always work together to support each other to ensure that all of our county’s operations put the people in our community first.”

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