LCSO corrections deputy fired for having relationship with former inmate

Writer: Melissa Montoya
Published: Updated:
Corrections deputy George Villa was fired after LCSO learned he had a sexual relationship with an inmate he met while working. (CREDIT: Lee County Sheriff’s Office)

A Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy was fired after an investigation revealed he had a romantic relationship with a woman he met who was an inmate at Lee County Jail.

The initial investigation began after six women who were jailed came forward to say Villa touched them inappropriately. While investigators could not prove that, they did find a seventh woman who said she had a romantic relationship with George Villa after she was released from jail.

Villa was fired on Aug. 3 for improper conduct, neglect of duty and insubordination, according to an internal affairs investigation released on Wednesday. He is scheduled to have a public hearing at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 8.

Villa was also investigated criminally after multiple women said he was groping them while they were inmates in the jail. During a planned polygraph examination, Villa decided not to participate for fear of incriminating himself and asked for a lawyer.

The State Attorney’s Office decided not to prosecute Villa “due to insufficient evidence.”

Villa was the COURT/TV transport deputy but was transferred to the Community Program Unit where only male inmates were housed because more women complained he touched them inappropriately, according to the internal affairs investigation.

During the criminal investigation, the detective in charge of the case learned Villa was possibly involved in personal relationships with two inmates.

One of the women said Villa found her on Facebook and began to call her hot on her Facebook photos. About a week after she was released, the two went to the beach together. Their relationship carried on for about four months.

Documents show, after they broke up, the woman said she was pregnant and Villa asked for the pregnancy to be terminated. A paternity test ultimately showed he was not the father.

Villas said he shouldn’t have dated a former inmate “since it got him in his ‘current situation’ (referring to the internal affairs investigation),” according to the report.

Despite that, he first said he didn’t violate policies but then admitted he did.

Villas also denied touching women in the jail inappropriately and described himself as a “good officer.”

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