CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Changes at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office as former Sheriff Darryl Daniels has a court date over his arrest earlier this month.
Daniels did not show up in court on Wednesday morning, instead, he had an attorney enter a plea of not guilty for him.
Daniels attorney let the judge know the ousted Sheriff is pleading not guilty on the charges he lied to investigators following his arrest just days before the primary election for Sheriff.
Down the block at the agency he used to run there are a lot of changes underway.
Now, News4Jax is learning about changes at CCSO including changes in senior leadership by the interim Sheriff Matt Walsh who is holding the spot until the newly elected Michelle Cook takes over in January.
Former Director in Services Ricardo Wright took over as Undersheriff, Jeremy Clark was named Chief of Detectives and the office restructured and reassigned other positions in the last week.
News4Jax Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson said he’s surprised there would be changes before Cook takes over, changes that include the retirement of Undersheriff Ray Walden the day after the election.
“Unless he has been speaking with Sheriff-elect Cook and they’re in cahoots as what she wants to smooth the transition once she gets there. But being an interim sheriff I would be surprised if he’s firing people or relieving them of their duties and re-assigning them because he’s there temporarily,” Jefferson said.
One other note is a video removed from the CCSO social media accounts.
Following his arrest, Daniels put a video on the Sheriff’s Office’s YouTube page professing his innocence.
That video has since been removed. CCSO tells News4Jax the removal of the video was Walsh’s call.
Daniels has maintained his arrest was politically motivated and has not spoken publicly since releasing a statement from his campaign on election night.
His next court date is in October.