A Lake County deputy sheriff was arrested Tuesday following an investigation that began in March after a teen victim came forward and filed a complaint with the Clermont Police Department.
The female victim stated that she was riding in Rodriguez’s patrol car when he began to ask about her sex life. He then asked her to describe her panties.
The information that was reported by the female victim was forwarded to investigators with the LCSO who said they immediately launched an investigation.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives later charged Deputy Jose Rodriguez with three counts of Solicitation to Commit Sexual Performance by a Child following allegations of inappropriate conduct with underage girls.
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.
According to reports, three females who met Rodriguez while on duty reported to detectives that he offered them an opportunity to make hardcore, underground pornographic videos for money. Rodriguez told the girls that he had a friend who produced the underground videos.
Rodriguez told the girls they could make “a lot of money.” One of the girls told the detectives that Rodriguez offered her $500 if she would participate.
The allegations occurred from 2016 to 2019, and the girls were ages 16 and 17.
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 refused to cooperate any further.
Rodriguez was arrested at his home and transported to the Lake County Detention Center.
He was booked on a $60,000 bond
Rodriguez was suspended and termination proceedings are underway.
This investigation is ongoing.