1. Once again, Sheriff David Shoar failed to call in FDLE and investigated one of his own officers. In contrast, Sheriff Neil J. Perry would have recused himself (even calling FHP to investigate deputy car wrecks and fender-benders).
2. Once again, Sheriff David Shoar speaks only in a press release.
3. Once again, no reporting by the Record -- it ran the Sheriff's press release.
4. No reportorial critical thinking skills were exercised in the printing of this account. The St. Augustine Record is a lapdog, not a watchdog, of Sheriff's office.
5. The Sheriff's firing of officer Jeffrey Lewis Cook during the arrest is high camp drama. Is this an unforced error that could be construed by a court as unfair prejudicial pretrial publicity, enabling the criminal defendant deputy to seek a change of venue or question the integrity of the investigative process?
6. This story badly needed an investigative reporter to ask questions, not an amanuensis or stenographer or accomplice to hit the "enter" key for the Sheriff's PR flak and brother-in-law, Commander Charles Mulligan.
7. Sheriff Shoar's self-described bad performance art in the firing scene makes him a fact witness in the case of State of Florida v. Jeffrey Lewis Cook.
8. Was this Shoar's cry for help and attention? Or oerhaps an attempt to distract Gov. Ron DeSantis from the case for suspending Shoar, arising out of State of Florida v. Raye Brutnell ($700,000 embezzlement by Sheriff's Finance Director); State of Florida v. Jeremy Banks (Michelle O'Connell homicide)?
9. Shoar knew that Gov. DeSantis was about to suspend Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, which he did yesterday, 1/11/2019.
10. Governor DeSantis should exercise his power to suspend Sheriff Shoar under Florida Constitution, Article IV, Section 7. « less
St. Johns County deputy sheriff arrested on molestation charge
By The Record
Posted Jan 11, 2019 at 5:00 PM
St. Augustine Record
Detectives with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Victims Unit arrested a fellow deputy sheriff on Friday following an overnight investigation into allegations of a molestation incident believed to have happened nearly a decade ago.
Jeffrey Lewis Cook, 51, of St. Augustine, has been fired from the Sheriff’s Office and arrested on a single count of lewd and lascivious molestation, a Friday news release said.
According to that release, the investigation began late Thursday night when someone contacted Sheriff David Shoar “concerning a series of events where the suspect had inappropriately touched her over the course of 6 years, while she was a juvenile.”
The last contact is believed to have occurred nearly 10 years ago.
Investigators with the Special Victims Unit met with the individual for an interview and later contacted Cook and advised him of the criminal complaint against him.
He was arrested after his interview and fired by Shoar as detectives were arresting him, the release said.
Cook was a 17-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.
“Anyone who has heard me speak on these types of crimes, knows that I value our children, as well as seniors, as our highest priority for protection,” Shoar said in the release. “I am both angry and saddened by these events, and while this incident involves one individual, it is not reflective of our agency or this honorable profession.”
“Detectives are continuing their investigation into the allegations against Cook,” the release said. “Although there are no indications of any other victims, anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant George Harrigan at 904-209-2443.”
Jacksonville TV stations tell you more about what's going on in St. Johns County than the unreliable Record!
From WJXT:
St. Johns County deputy accused of groping young girl
Jeffrey Lewis Cook, 51, charged with lewd & lascivious molestation
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - A St. Johns County Sheriff's deputy was arrested and fired in response to allegations that he fondled a young girl, authorities said Friday.
According to the Sheriff's Office, a criminal complaint was filed against Jeffrey Lewis Cook, 51, of St. Augustine. The 17-year veteran was placed under arrest following an investigation into lewd and lascivious molestation, which is said to have occurred over the course of six years.
Sheriff Shoar stated, “Anyone who has heard me speak on these types of crimes, knows that I value our children, as well as seniors, as our highest priority for protection. I am both angry and saddened by these events, and while this incident involves one individual, it is not reflective of our agency or this honorable profession.”
Detectives are still investigating. There were no indications of any other victims, investigators said.
Records show this wasn't the first time Cook was fired from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. In 1994, Cook was responding to a vandalism complaint when he got into an altercation with an African American man who was carrying a gun in his waistband.
Cook maced the man, not knowing he was an off-duty agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, records show. The NAACP contacted former Sheriff Neil Perry about the confrontation, and Cook was later fired.
According to documents, Cook sued the Sheriff's Office claiming he was wrongfully terminated. In 1995, he was reinstated with back pay.
Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
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