A Lake County deputy sheriff has been arrested on three counts of Solicitation to Commit Sexual Performance by a Child following an investigation by sheriff’s detectives into allegations of inappropriate conduct with underage girls while off duty. Jose Rodriguez, a four-year patrol deputy, was arrested on Tuesday evening at his home in Clermont.
The information was first reported by a female victim to an officer with the Clermont Police Department in early March. The information was then forwarded to the Sheriff’s Office at which time the investigation immediately began.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Rodriguez met several teenage girls while on duty as a patrol deputy in the Minneola area. Upon meeting these teenagers, he would recruit them to work with him at his secondary, off-duty job as a compliance inspector for ISN Corporation, a business that contracts with the US Food and Drug Administration to verify various businesses’ compliance with state tobacco laws. The teenagers were used to attempt to make undercover purchases of tobacco products at businesses in the Central Florida area.
Three females who met Rodriguez while on duty reported to detectives that he offered them an opportunity to make pornographic videos for money. These activities allegedly took place from 2016 to 2019, during which these females’ ages ranged between 16 to 17 years old.
Detectives interviewed Rodriguez regarding the allegations. He confirmed his employment with ISN Corporation and that he had in fact recruited teenagers for that job while on duty as a deputy, but would not answer further questions.
Rodriguez was arrested Tuesday evening at approximately 8 p.m. and was transported to the Lake County Detention Center. He was booked in with a $60,000 bond.
His booking photo is attached.
Rodriguez was suspended during the investigation and termination proceedings are underway.
This investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.
