LCSO deputy fired over 2015 rumors against Sheriff Mike Scott

New documents show a former Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy was fired for spreading rumors against Sheriff Mike Scott.

Terrence Guetler was accused of telling other deputies within the department that Scott was under investigation by the FBI in 2015, according to personnel files from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Guetler reportedly told other deputies that Scott was going to federal prison for corruption within the department, the personnel files showed.

As a result, an internal investigation within the department was launched.

Guetler told investigators his information came from former deputy Michael Zaleski and former Cpl. George Schwing, the personnel files showed. Deputy Kevin Calderone, along with the other two men, filed complaints with the FBI.

When asked to comment on a current investigation the FBI said “As a matter of longstanding policy, the FBI neither confirms nor denies the existence of an investigation.”

But the personnel files show FBI agent James Rankine did meet with the trio in 2015.

Guetler, Zaleski and Schwing provided Rankine with information about corruption allegations, the personnel files showed. The FBI concluded the matter was not deemed worthy of a federal investigation as it was third party information.

The trio was never told by the FBI that a federal investigation was launched against the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the personnel files showed.

Guetler was fired in April 2016 for two counts of improper conduct, the personnel files showed.

On Dec. 22, WINK News interviewed Mike Hollow, former commander of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office internal affairs from 2014 to 2016 and recent Cape Coral mayoral candidate, where he confirmed looking into some of the allegations made against the department.

WINK News reporter Nicole Valdes has more details: