Orange County deputy arrested, accused of possessing child porn

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The Orange County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that a deputy was arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography. 

Corp. James Montiel was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography, the sheriff's office said in a press release. 

5 Central Florida law enforcement officers, first responders arrested within a week

Montiel, who was hired in March 2006, has been relieved of all law enforcement duties without pay pending the criminal investigation. After the criminal investigation, the sheriff's office will conduct its own internal investigation. The findings of this investigation will be made public. 

Sheriff John Mina issued the following statement about Montiel's arrest:

"These are very serious criminal allegations, and there is no place in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for anyone who commits such heinous crimes. As law enforcement officers, we are held to the highest standards of conduct whether on duty or off duty, and I am committed to ensuring that those who serve the community as Orange County deputies follow the laws that they are responsible to uphold." 

Montiel is currently in custody at the Seminole County on $100,000 bond, arrest records show. 

Montiel was involved in a deputy-involved shooting back in 2022, the sheriff's office confirmed to FOX 35. Former State Attorney Monique Worrell announced in January 2022 that Montiel, the deputy who fatally shot a man in the back as he ran through the Florida Mall parking lot, will not face prosecution. Worrell said she had no evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Montiel committed crime when he fired on 22-year-old Salaythis Melvin. 

FOX 35 previously reported that Melvin was shot on Aug. 7, 2022 as he ran from deputies who were trying to serve a warrant on one of his friends. The shooting sparked a series of protests throughout Orlando.