JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 14-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been arrested and charged with official misconduct and scheme to defraud after he lied about security work he was supposedly doing off the clock, Undersheriff Pat Ivey announced Friday.
JSO's investigation into patrol officer Frank R. Holtsman's "double-dipping" began in early April, Ivey said, after a complaint was filed alleging that Holtsman, a patrol officer in Zone 5, was being paid by the city and a private company for the same work hours.
Ivey said the Integrity Unit found Holtsman was working several security jobs and being paid for hours he wasn't actually working. Ivey said Holtsman falsified time sheets while working private security for a total of about $900.
WATCH: Jacksonville officer arrested on scheme to defraud, misconduct charges
He was charged with official misconduct for lying on his JSO records about where he was working and what he was being paid for, Ivey said.
"Our duties do not allow us that. If we falsify that record, that’s what’s considered official misconduct," Ivey said.
The scheme to defraud charge was because the behavior continued consistently during the time of the investigation, Ivey said.
"I am saddened and wish we didn't have to do this," Ivey said.
Holtsman was arrested at 9 a.m. Friday and booked into the Duval County Jail on $10,003 for each charge.
He elected to be suspended without pay, and Ivey said based on the charges, he will likely be recommending for Holtsman to be fired.
Ivey said that Holtsman is the sixth JSO employee to be arrested by the agency in 2017, and 11 were arrested in 2016. According to News4Jax records, another JSO officer was arrested by Orange Park police this year.
Ivey said that since Sheriff Mike Williams took over JSO in July 2015, there have been 17 terminations,15 of them officers and two civilian employees; 45 resignations or retirements while the employee was under investigation; 32 suspensions; and two demotions.
"They're human, they make mistakes, and we deal with them and on the other end (of the spectrum)," Williams said. "Do I think we have this undertow of bad policeman and corruption? Absolutely not."
Holtsman has a history of complaints from both fellow officers and citizens.
According to records, Holtsman was investigated 46 times by Internal Affairs and was found to have violated departmental guidelines 4 times for mishandling evidence, improper action, a driving complaint and a motor vehicle crash.
"That’s very long, and I’m not saying he’s guilty of anything in that history, I’m just saying that’s a lot of complaints on the perspective of individuals he’s come in contact with," Ivey said.
Holtsman was also ordered into counseling four times and remedial training once.
Holtsman is currently out on bond.
