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Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy charged with grand theft

 
Published Jan. 12, 2015

NEW PORT RICHEY— A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office detention deputy was arrested Friday on a charge of grand theft, officials said.

Todd Brown, 46, duplicated two payroll checks totalling $3,191.98, according to an arrest affidavit.

He was placed on administrative leave without pay pending an internal investigation, spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda said.

The paychecks in question were issued on Nov. 8 and Nov. 22 of 2013. Duplicate paper checks were issued when Brown's bank reported that the direct deposit was not made to his personal account. However, a subpoena for Wells Fargo showed that the direct deposits were properly made to his account, the report said.

A total of nearly $3,200 was deposited directly into Brown's Wells Fargo account by Pinellas County Sheriff's payroll department, and Brown also cashed the two paper payroll checks issued by the Sheriff's Office, the report said.

Authorities said Brown, who was hired in August 2005, knew or should have known that he received the direct deposits as well as the two paper checks in November 2013.

Brown made no attempt to notify the Sheriff's Office of this until payroll made contact with him on Dec. 5, 2014.

Brown was released Friday afternoon on $2,000 bail.