Contact Meryl Kornfield at mkornfield@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @MerylKornfield
A Marion County deputy was fired this month after taking a break from his duty to go on a Tinder date, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Former Deputy David Patterson faced allegations of violating MCSO’s code of conduct, falsifying time sheets and neglecting his duty, according to an internal affairs investigation report. A woman who met Patterson on the dating app told another deputy he came over Dec. 5, and they “hooked up.”
Patterson admitted to spend- ing about two hours at the woman’s residence, according to the report.
The woman said he came over at about noon in his uniform and they talked, according to the report. They also kissed and Patterson touched her breast over her clothes. She said they didn’t have sex, and everything was consensual.
Patterson left and sent the woman sexually explicit text messages which included a picture of his penis and a message that read, “He’s ready to come see u,” according to the report.
Patterson appeared to be wearing his uniform pants and boots in the photo, according to the report.
When an investigator interviewed him, Patterson confirmed his timesheet for that day was incorrect, and he spent two hours off-duty, according to the report.
Patterson was hired Dec. 31, 2010 and his annual salary was $46,799.29, according to the Ocala Star-Banner.
The investigation confirmed Patterson was guilty of the three charges of which he was accused, according to the report. He was later fired.
