TAVARES, Fla. — A Tavares police officer has been fired from his job after he found himself on the other side of the law.
Lake County deputies said Denzel Jones called a woman and a man and claimed to be investigating a case on behalf of the Department of Children and Families.
They said the man recognized the voice over the phone as Jones, who did not provide his identity. They said the voice claimed it was a drug-related investigation.
Jones’ arrest report said he tried to cover up his tracks by calling the couple from his actual cell phone, denying it was him on the line and informing them there was no DCF investigation.
After confirming with DCF no investigation existed, detectives said they contacted the service provider and learned the phone number was connected to Jones’ email account. They said they also discovered Jones used his official police credentials to search for the victims’ phone number.
Jones was arrested on October 7 and charged with Offense Against Use of Computers, which is a third-degree felony.
A Tavares police spokeswoman confirmed Jones had been terminated and said the agency’s leadership was upset by the accusations.
“The behavior that led to his arrest is unacceptable and does not reflect the values, goals, or mission of this department,” Det. Courtney Sullivan wrote. “We hold our officers to the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability.”
Jones had a role in at least one high-profile case involving the murder of 10-year-old Xavier Williams. Williams’ mother and her boyfriend, Kimberley Mills and Andre Walker, are expected to face the death penalty.
Both sets of attorneys were notified that Jones’ testimony would be compromised by his arrest, giving them an opening as they craft their defenses.
Jones had served Tavares for more than a year, making him still relatively new to the force.
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