JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Prior to his 2016 election as sheriff of Clay County, Darryl Daniels worked for more than a decade at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, working his way up to chief of the jail.
As we now know, in 2013, he became romantically involved with a corrections officer named Cierra Smith -- a relationship that continued at least through late last fall.
After an internal affairs investigation into Smith last summer, she was suspended and recommended for termination.
News4Jax obtained Daniels’ employee administrative history while he was at JSO. He was investigated six times during his years at the department:
1992: Citizen complaint: Excessive force – sustained, resulting in written reprimand
1992: In-house complaint: Unbecoming conduct – sustained, resulting in an oral reprimand
1993: Citizen complaint: Unbecoming conduct – sustained, resulting in 10-day suspension
1994: Citizen complaint: Improper action – exonerated
1998: Citizen complaint: Unnecessary force – exonerated
2014: Vehicle accident/incident: chargeable traffic crash – sustained, points assessed on driver’s license, informal counseling, remedial training
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An internal affairs investigation into Smith began in July 2018 after her estranged husband told JSO about her affair with her former boss at the jail. Daniels declined to be interviewed by JSO detectives.
Investigators determined support for charges against Smith including trespassing, departure from the truth, failure to be candid, failure to conform with work standards and unbecoming conduct. Some charges were not sustained, including one of having sex in Daniels’ office.
Sheriff Mike Williams’ recommendation of termination for Smith will be reviewed in a hearing before the end of May.