Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has ordered a state criminal probe into the handling of the investigation into registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to the Miami Herald.
The investigation will focus on the actions of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s office and the former Palm Beach state attorney.
Epstein in 2008 pleaded guilty to solicitation of a minor but, under a plea deal with then-U.S. attorney and now-former U.S. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, served only 13 months and was allowed to spend 12 hours a day outside of jail — privileges Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is under increased scrutiny for granting.
Bradshaw approved the work-release deal despite the objections of Maria Villafaña, a prosecutor on Acosta’s staff who handled the case, according to the Miami Herald. Bradshaw ordered an internal affairs investigation into the work-release deal last month.
DeSantis on Tuesday also ordered the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to take over the investigation, in response to a request from Bradshaw’s office. – READ MORE